Synergistic Finite Element and Experimental Analysis of Tribological Performance and Stress Distribution in Solvent Textured Epoxy Coatings

Epoxy resins are widely used as protective coatings due to their excellent adhesion and chemical resistance; however, their inherent brittleness and susceptibility to shear stress-induced crack propagation limit their tribological performance. This study investigates the stress distribution mechanisms governing the wear resistance of solvent-textured epoxy coatings using finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental validation. Three solvents with distinct volatilities—acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and ethyl acetate (EA)—generated characteristic surface morphologies through Marangoni convection, with roughness ranging from Ra = 0.17 μm (EA) to 0.66 μm (acetone). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirmed identical chemical structures regardless of solvent type, isolating surface morphology as the sole variable. FEA simulations revealed that textured surfaces experienced higher localized coating stress (58.24 vs. 15.35 MPa for smooth surfaces), while stress transmitted to the counterface remained comparable (~6.9 vs. ~6.7 MPa). The FEA predictions were validated through tribological testing: MEK-derived coatings achieved a wear rate of 3.0 × 10−8 mm3/N·mm, 36% lower than bare glass and 80% lower than acetone-based coatings. All coatings converged to a steady-state friction coefficient of 0.51 ± 0.02. The microdroplet morphology reduced the real contact area and trapped wear debris, suppressing abrasive wear. This integrated computational-experimental methodology demonstrates that FEA effectively predicts tribological performance of textured surfaces, establishing design guidelines for wear-resistant coatings through solvent selection without external additives. This approach provides a simple and cost-effective route for fabricating wear-resistant polymer coatings applicable to precision devices, optical films, and protective coating technologies where tribological reliability is a primary concern.