Frictional Performance of an Ionic Liquid/Graphene Composite Additive in Lubricating Oil

This study conducted a tribological investigation of base oil (PAO6 and 5W 40) and ionic liquids (IL)-modified lubricants through a four-ball tribometer for 30 min. The lubricants were fabricated via a two-step method using stirring magnetic and ultrasonic dispersion. IL, base oil, and lubricants were, respectively, characterized by XRD and FTIR analysis. In addition, multiple characterizations such as EDS, 3D morphology, and SEM were carried out to evaluate the wear and friction performance of steel balls. Ultimately, the results showed that the coefficient of friction (COF) and wear scar diameter (WSD) of wear scar lubricated by IL-modified lubricants were greatly decreased than that by base oil. IL can well improve the tribological properties of PAO 6 oil and 5W-40 oil due to the tribo-film appearance on the friction surface of wear scar by the effective role of IL. Fascinatingly, this investigation comprehensively and elaborately put a new sight into the lubrication mechanism of how IL reacted with a base oil and enhanced the tribological characteristics.

In this study, MoS2 nanosheets have been prepared and treated ultrasonically with silver ammonia solutions. The MoS2/Ag precursor was reduced using dopamine (DA) as reducing and linking agent at room temperature, and it was subjected to a hydrothermal treatment to produce MoS2/Ag nanocomposites (denoted as MoAg). The MoAg samples were functionalized with N-oleoylethanolamine to improve dispersion in the base oil component of additives. Use of the functionalized MoAg (denoted as Fc-MoAg) as a lubricant additive for steel balls resulted in effective friction reduction and anti-wear. This work avoids ion exchange during exfoliation, and the Ag+ has been reduced to nano-silver particles by dopamine to enlarge the layer spaces of MoS2. Taking the case of lubrication with base oil containing Fc-Mo0.6Ag15, the wear scar diameters and coefficients of friction of the steel balls were 0.428 and 0.098 mm, respectively, which were about three-fifths base oil. In addition, MoS2/Cu and MoS2/Ni nanocomposites were synthesized and the tribological properties associated with steel/steel balls assessed. The results demonstrate that all MoS2/metal composites exhibit enhanced tribological behavior in the steel/steel pair tests. Both nanocomposite synergy and the tribofilm containing sulfide, oxide, carbide, and other compounds play important roles in achieving reduced friction and improved anti-wear. The friction and wear properties of base oil containing Fc-MoAg and commercial additives were evaluated using a four-ball wear tester with steel/steel, steel/zirconia and zirconia/zirconia pairs. The base oil containing Fc-MoAg delivered smaller coefficients of friction (COFs) and/or scarring groove depths than those observed with the use of pure base oil and base oil containing commercial additives.

In this study, willow catkins/MoS2 nanoparticles (denoted as WCMSs) have been prepared using a hydrothermal method. The WCMSs were modified with oleic acid (OA) to improve dispersion in base oil. The friction and wear properties of WCMSs in liquid paraffin (LP) for steel balls were investigated using a four-ball wear tester. The results have shown that at a high reaction temperature, willow catkins (being used as a template) and urea (being used as a nitrogen resource) can effectively decrease the wear scar diameters (WSDs) and coefficients of friction (COFs). At a concentration of 0.5 wt.%, the WSD and COF of steel balls, when lubricated using LP containing modified WCMS with urea, decreased from 0.65 mm and 0.175 of pure LP to 0.46 mm and 0.09, respectively. The addition of urea and hydroxylated catkins can generate a significant number of loose nano-sheets and even graphene-like sheets. The weak van der Waals forces, decreasing the shear forces that the steel balls must overcome, provide effective lubrication during rotation. On the other hand, the tribo-films containing MoS2, FeS, azide, metal oxides and other compounds play important roles in reducing friction and facilitating anti-wear properties.

In this study, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube/Ag nanocomposites (denoted as N-C/Ag) have been synthesized in a urea solution using a hydrothermal method. The carbon nanotubes, AgNO3 solution, urea and poly-dopamine (PDA) served as carbon, silver, nitrogen and carbon sources, respectively. The results show that the diameter of the carbon tubes was about 30 nm, and the Ag nanoparticles, with a diameter of ca. 10 nm, dispersed on the carbon tube surface. The Ag particle size decreased with a lower degree of crystallinity at a high temperature in the presence of urea. The friction and wear behavior of the oil acid (OA) modified N-C/Ag (OAN-C/Ag) as an additive in liquid paraffin (LP) were studied using a four-ball friction and wear tester. The results have shown that the coefficients of friction (COFs) and wear scar diameters (WSDs) of steel balls lubricated with LP-OAN-C/Ag decreased by 27.3% and 25.3%, respectively, relative to pure LP. Tribofilms containing Ag, carbon and nitride were formed on the worn steel ball surfaces. Details, the carbon, Fe2O3, azides and nitride, Ag and alloy and other compounds on the wear scars may improve tribological properties. The synergistic effect of carbon, Ag and urea plays a critical role during sliding.

Anthracite sheets were coated by sorbitol fatty acid ester (span80) through ball-milling process. The tribological properties of the span80-coated anthracite sheets as the additive in polyalpha olefin were evaluated through a series of friction tests using a four ball machine. The results revealed that the span80-coated anthracite sheets exhibited excellent dispersion stability in base oil. In addition, compared with base oil, the average coefficient of friction, wear scar diameter, and wear volume of modified oil at a mass fraction of 0.03% span80-coated anthracite sheets decreased by 45.39%, 60.13%, and 95.95%, respectively. The oil containing span80-coated anthracite sheets achieved good friction-reducing and anti-wear effects over a wide range of applied loads, temperatures, or rotating speeds. Control experiments were performed as well. The results obtained using span80-coated anthracite sheets were superior to those obtained using pure anthracite. The lubrication mechanism was attributed to the synergistic action of the crystalline and amorphous carbon in anthracite sheets as they formed a protective film and played a mitigative role on the surface of friction pair, which mitigated the wear extent of the friction pair.

In-situ synthesis of calcium borate/cellulose acetate-laurate nanocomposite as efficient extreme pressure and anti-wear lubricant additives

Synthesis of ricinoleate anion based ionic liquids and their application as green lubricating oil additives

ABSTRACTGraphite coated copper (Cu@G) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by a gas-liquid detonation method, using copper acetate, ethanol, hydrogen and oxygen as the detonation precursors. The composition, morphology and microstructure of detonation products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (TEM-EDX). And a four-ball wear test was carried out to clarify the tribological properties of the mixed lubricating oils, which mainly consisted of the SN150 base oils containing five different concentrations of Cu@G nanoparticles. The results indicated that Cu@G nanoparticles are made up of face-centered cubic (FCC) copper nanocrystal and graphitic shells. The size distribution of core-shell structural products is mainly in range of 10–40 nm and the graphitic shells is about 4–8 nm. From the four-ball tests, the friction coefficient and wear scar diameter (WSD) decrease firstly and then increase with the increase of the contents of Cu@G nanoparticles. When the content of Cu@G nanoparticles is 0.6%, there is a minimum friction coefficient and WSD.

Environmental friendly polyisobutylene-based ionic liquid containing chelated orthoborate as lubricant additive: Synthesis, tribological properties and synergistic interactions with ZDDP in hydrocarbon oils

New metal-free nanolubricants based on carbon-dots with outstanding antiwear performance

Testing of lanthanum complexes of 1-aryl-2,5-dithiohydrazodicarbonamides of the formula LaL3 [LH=1-phenyl-2,5-dithiohydrazodicarbonamide(PhTHC), 1-methylphenyl-2,5-dithiohydrazodicarbon-amide(p-MePhTHC), 1-methoxyphenyl-2,5-dithiohydrazodicarbonamide(p-MeOPhTHC), 1-phenyl-2,5-dithiohydrazodicarbonamide(p-ClPhTHC)] for their application as extreme pressure lubrication (EPL) additives was performed on four ball tester using steel balls of 12.7 mm diameter and MoS2 as reference additive. The efficiency of the complexes has been evaluated using the tribological parameters, wear scar diameter, friction coefficient, initial seizure load, 2.5 s seizure delay load, weld load, mean Hertz load, flash temperature parameter and pressure wear index. The tested complexes behave as good extreme pressure additives; however, the best performance is shown by the p-methoxyphenyl derivative. The surface morphology of the wear scar on steel ball has been studied by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In presence of this complex, roughness of the worn surface is significantly reduced. The composition of wear scar has been analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The presence of lanthanum and sulfur in energy dispersive X-ray spectrum emphasizes role of additive in the tribofilm formed on the surface.

Introduction. The paper considers the evolution of friction coefficient of the pair of copper - steel alloy under friction in a hexanoic acid solution in various concentrations, and antiwear properties of the steel-steel friction pair in an oil-acidic medium. The work objective is to explore the effect of hexanoic acid additives on the tribological characteristics of friction pairs under the friction interaction in waterborne and paraffin-based formulations. Materials and Methods. Tribological studies of a brass-steel friction pair were carried out on the AE-5 end-type friction machine. Antiwear characteristics were explored on a four-ball friction machine (FBW) in accordance with the standard GOST 9490–75. When tested at the FBW, the objective parameters of the lubricity of the oiling compositions were: welding load (Рс); wear spot diameter (Dн), critical load (Рк). Roughness parameters of the servovite film were determined through the optical profilometry; its microgeometry and structure at the nanoscale – through the atomic force microscopy. Research Results. Tribological properties of the brass-steel tribocoupling in aqueous media and steel-steel one in petroleum paraffin-based media are studied. The dependence of the frictional characteristics of the brass-steel friction pair on the concentration of carboxylic acid is established. Its optimum concentration is specified, which provides the effect of wearlessness. A decrease in surface roughness is revealed as a result of the frictional interaction of a brass-steel friction pair in the hexanoic acid solution compared to the initial friction surface due to the formation of a sufficiently dense layer from fine-grained copper clusters with tight particle-size dispersion. The tribological characteristics of a steel-steel friction pair were found to depend on the composition of the lubricant. It is shown that the dependence of the size of the wear scar diameter (WSD) on the acid content in the base oil is nonmonotonic in nature with a pronounced minimum at a concentration of 0.1 mass. %. The critical load (Pк) at a content of 0.05 and 0.1 mass. % increases by 32%, welding load (Pc) - by 27%.Discussion and Conclusions. As a result of the tribological studies of a brass-steel friction pair in the hexanoic acid solution, it has been found that the optimum acid molar concentration in the lubricant composition is 0.1 mol/L. Under the frictional interaction of a brass-steel pair in the hexanoic acid solution, an antifriction copper film is formed on the friction surfaces, which contributes to a sharp decrease in the friction coefficient to 0.007 and metal wear of the friction pair to 25 times. As a result of the frictional interaction of a brasssteel friction pair in the hexanoic acid solution, a decrease in roughness is revealed compared to the initial friction surface. It is found that the frictional interaction of a brass-steel pair in the hexanoic acid solution causes a significant modification of the friction surface as a result of the deposition of finely dispersed copper clusters occurring in the lubricating medium composition and forming a servovite film. As a result of studies, it is found that the dependence of the WSD size on the acid content in the base oil is nonmonotonic in nature with a significant minimum at a concentration of 0.1 mass. %. It is shown that the addition of 0.1 mass. % of hexanoic acid into the lubricant composition exhibits the smallest wear of the steel-steel tribological pair, the WSD decreases to 0.497 mm, the critical load (Pк) and the welding load (Pc) increase by 32% and 27%, respectively.

Additives in various forms have drawn significant interest in tribological applications due to their superior tribological enhancing properties, notably in vegetable oil-based lubricants. Considering the advantages of vegetable oil-based lubricants over petroleum counterpart, industrial and domestic competition over edible lubricants has resulted in an increased focus on non-edible lubricants. To gain a better understanding of the synergistic and antagonistic properties of the two different additives, this study used a four-ball tribometer to investigate the tribological performance of jatropha oil-based lubricants combined with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer and anti-wear hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). Prior to the tribological test, physiochemical analysis was performed on the jatropha oil base and the two additions. The outcome produced outstanding behavior that is suitable for tribological enhancement. The frictional analysis revealed that wear scars lubricated with PDMS polymer, and h-BN nano lubricants, both separately and blended, had a lower coefficient of friction (COF), wear scar diameter (WSD), and surface roughness (Ra) than the base lubricant, but were more active under blended conditions due to their synergetic ability. The results also revealed that the BJ/h-BN/PDMS-C nano lubricant had the best friction reduction with a 35.23% reduction in COF, a 29.2% reduction in WSD, and a 63.78% Ra. The worn surfaces were analyzed to better understand the lubrication mechanisms; hence energy dispersive spectroscopy revealed the additives on the ball-worn surfaces. In conclusion, the results of this investigation indicate that the produced nano lubricants possessed outstanding tribological properties, which contributed to the coactive improved performance and creation of effective tribo-films.

The growing need for environmentally sustainable lubricants has accelerated research into vegetable oil-based alternatives to conventional mineral oils. Petroleum-derived lubricants, such as SAE 20W40, are non-biodegradable and toxic, raising ecological concerns. Vegetable oils offer advantages like renewability, biodegradability, and non-toxicity, but their limited tribological performance restricts broader application. This study systematically evaluates the tribological behavior including Coefficient of Friction (COF), Wear Scar Diameter (WSD), and Viscosity Index (VI) of ten vegetable oils: Castor, Coconut, Gingelly (Sesame), Karanja, Linseed, Mustard, Olive, Peanut (Groundnut), Rice Bran, and Sunflower. Tests were conducted using a Four Ball Tester per ASTM D4172B for COF and WSD, and a Brookfield DV2T viscometer per ASTM D2983-03 for viscosity, with VI calculated per ASTM D2270-04. A SAE 20W40 mineral oil was included as a benchmark for performance comparison. Karanja Oil showed the best performance with the lowest COF and WSD. To further enhance its properties, Copper Oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were added at concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 0.3%. Among all formulations, Karanja Oil with 0.1% CuO exhibited the lowest WSD, outperforming SAE 20W40 and base oils. The inclusion of CuO significantly improved anti-wear properties, friction reduction, and thermal stability. These findings suggest that CuO-enhanced Karanja Oil could serve as a viable, eco-friendly alternative to mineral-based lubricants in demanding industrial settings.

Tribological behavior of trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide [P66614][NTf2] ionic liquid (IL) used as additive in a diester oil at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 wt% was studied in this research. The IL solubility in the base oil was measured using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique, and corrosion analysis was done at room temperature at relative humidity of 49–77%. Tribological tests were conducted for 30 min at room temperature, 15 Hz frequency, 4 mm of stroke length, a load of 80 N (corresponding to 2 GPa of maximum contact pressure) and relative humidity of 35–53%. Friction coefficient was recorded during tests, and the wear scar was measured by confocal microscopy. Worn surface was also analyzed by SEM, EDS and XPS. Results showed that a saturated solution of [P66614][NTf2] in the base oil contains about 30 wt% of IL and corrosion activity for the highest concentration of IL (1 wt%) was not found after a 20-day test. Although the base oil and the mixtures had similar friction behavior, only the 1 wt% sample exhibited slightly lower wear volume than the base oil. SEM images exhibited similar wear track width (707–796 µm) and wear mechanism (adhesive) for all samples tested. In addition, the EDS spectra only showed the elements present in the steel. Finally, the XPS measurements could not detect differences regarding iron chemical state among the samples, which is consistent with the tribological behavior obtained.