Effect of polymer additives on the tribological performance of soybean oil

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the behavior of vegetable oil with two additives. Base oil’s tribological qualities can be improved with the help of several additions. In the present investigation, soybean oil is served as the foundational oil due to its eco-friendliness and status as a vegetable oil with two additives, named polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2).Design/methodology/approachAs additives, PTFE and MoS2 are used; PTFE is renowned for its anti-friction (AF) properties, while MoS2 is a solid lubricant with anti-wear (AW) properties. This investigation examines the synergistic impact of AF and AW additions in vegetable oil. The lubricity of the base oil is measured by using a four-ball tester, and the wear properties of the oil at different additive amounts are determined by using a universal tribometer.FindingsPTFE (at 5 Wt.%) and MoS2 (at 1 Wt.%) were found to improve the tribological performance of the base oil. The weld load is significantly increased when 5 Wt.% of PTFE + MoS2 is added to the base oil.Originality/valueA better tribological characteristic can be achieved by combining additives that amount to less than 1% of the base oil. In experiments with highly concentrated MoS2, the adequate pressure improved dramatically, but the lubricant’s tribological characteristics did not.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-11-2022-0321/