With the development of the shipbuilding industry, it is necessary to improve tribological properties of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) as a water-lubricated bearing material. In this study, the sulfonated PEEK (SPEEK) with three distinct chemical structures was synthesized through direct sulfonated polymerization, and high fault tolerance and a controllable sulfonation degree ensured the batch stability. The tribological and mechanical properties of SPEEK with varying side groups (methyl and tert-butyl) and rigid segments (biphenyl) were compared after sintering in a vacuum furnace. Compared to the as-made PEEK, as the highly electronegative sulfonic acid group enhanced the hydration lubrication, the friction coefficient and wear rate of SPEEK were significantly reduced by 30% and 50% at least without affecting the mechanical properties. And lower steric hindrance and entanglement between molecular chains were proposed to be partially responsible for the lowest friction behavior of SPEEK with methyl side groups, making it a promising and competitive option for water-lubricated bearings.

Interdisciplinary research, which aims to solve practical issues in the realm of industrial applications, has emerged as a key trend in the current transformation of knowledge production mode, creating a new type of educational strategy to match. Problem-based Learning (PBL) is a teaching paradigm that emphasizes the practical orientation and application qualities of a college education. Northeastern University's Resources and Environment department arose from the need to address complicated environmental challenges. It has inherent interdisciplinary characteristics and bears the social duty of sustainable development. The discipline seeks to link "Practical Cognition" with "Disciplinary Logic," as well as realign the "target-content-method" of education to meet current demands. The teaching-learning practice tries to correspond to the professional training goals and the student's capability output through the reform and practice of a divisional level with the PBL method, integration of multidisciplinary and industrial resources, carrying out teaching-learning activities based on interdisciplinary theory and PBL principles, improving students' transformative skills, and rebuilding sustainable social responsibilities.

The convergence of three factors – namely, the global recession, the emergence of the college aspiration fulfilment industry and the urgent need for technological innovation in the field of national strategy – presents considerable obstacles to the advancement of environmental science. In other words, the demand for environmental protection services is declining as a result of the global economic downturn. The advent of the internet has rendered environmental science an unfavorable choice for those pursuing higher education. National strategies that demand innovation have led to the reconstruction of professional curriculum systems. In order to address the aforementioned challenges, a framework for a PBL tutor system based on the triple helix model in environmental science within the School of Metallurgy at Northeastern University is proposed. This approach will be implemented across disciplinary boundaries. Furthermore, the particular issues or projects may be supplied by industry partners, reflecting the pressing necessity for strategic innovation at the national level. It is projected that the introduction of a problem/project-based learning tutoring system will greatly improve students' ability to oversee projects, especially when it comes to longer-term vocational training. This is consistent with the knowledge production theory of the triple helix model and meets the requirements of undergraduate employment skills.