Abstract
The main task of this work is to study the tribological performance of nanolubricants formed by trimethylolpropane trioleate (TMPTO) base oil with magnetic nanoparticles coated with oleic acid: Fe3O4 of two sizes 6.3 nm and 10 nm, and Nd alloy compound of 19 nm. Coated nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation or thermal decomposition by adsorption with oleic acid in the same step. Three nanodispersions of TMPTO of 0.015 wt% of each NP were prepared, which were stable for at least 11 months. Two different types of tribological tests were carried out: pure sliding conditions and rolling conditions (5% slide to roll ratio). With the aim of analyzing the wear by means of the wear scar diameter (WSD), the wear track depth and the volume of the wear track produced after the first type of the tribological tests, a 3D optical profiler was used. The best tribological performance was found for the Nd alloy compound nanodispersion, with reductions of 29% and 67% in friction and WSD, respectively, in comparison with TMPTO. On the other hand, rolling conditions tests were utilized to study friction and film thickness of nanolubricants, determining that Fe3O4 (6.3 nm) nanolubricant reduces friction in comparison to TMPTO.
Highlights
In 2014, the worldwide energy consumption was around 396 EJ for different uses such as transport, residential consumption or industrial activity [1]
The trimethylolpropane trioleate (TMPTO) base oil sample was provided by Croda (Snaith, United Kingdom)
The analysis shows that the base oil used in the present work is composed by 69.2% of trimethylolpropane trioleate (Figure S1), 26.5% of a very similar compound with a C–C bond more than TMPTO and 4.3% of another compound with two extra C–C bonds
Summary
In 2014, the worldwide energy consumption was around 396 EJ for different uses such as transport, residential consumption or industrial activity [1]. In all these sectors, mechanical systems suffer energy losses, mostly due to friction and wear, and their reduction is decisive. In economic terms the annual total losses originating from tribological contacts are estimated to be 2,536,000 million euros, being 73% due to friction and 27% due to wear [2]. Nanotechnology has been introduced in the development of numerous applications due to the physical and chemical properties of the nanomaterials being quite different from those of the bulk materials [3,4].
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