Methyltrioctylammonium Octadecanoate as Lubricant Additive to Different Base Oils

Abstract

This study investigates the use of an ionic liquid obtained from fatty acids (FAIL) as an additive at 2 wt.% in two different base oils: a mineral oil (M1) and a polyol ester (E1). Physicochemical characterization of the base oil–FAIL blends confirmed the miscibility of the FAIL in the base oils. The addition of the FAIL hardly changed the density of the base oils and the viscosity slightly increased at lower temperatures. The tribological performance of the base oils and their blends with the FAIL was determined using three different tests: Stribeck curve determination and tribofilm formation tests, both under sliding/rolling motion, and reciprocating wear tests. The M1 + FAIL blend showed the lowest friction values under the mixed lubrication regime due to its higher viscosity, while the E1 + FAIL showed the lowest friction values under the elastohydrodynamic lubrication regime, which may well have been due to its higher polarity. Only the E1 + FAIL blend outperformed the antiwear behavior of the base oil, probably because it has better chemical affinity (higher polarity) for the metallic surface. SEM images showed that the predominant wear mechanism was adhesive-type with plastic deformation and XPS studies proved that the presence of increasing amounts of organic oxygen on the wear scar caused better antiwear performance when the E1 + FAIL blend was used.