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Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.Universiti Malaya,50 603 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
a
salmiahk@salam.uitm.edu.my, bdiksyira91@gmail.com
Abstract
Recently, the development of biolubricant as the substitution of base oil has been important role
to reduce friction and wear in tribological system. The purpose of nanoparticles is to enhance the
properties of the lubricant. In this experiment, biolubricant trimethylolpropane (TMP) added
with TiO2 nanoparticles as additives. The ability of TMP esters of high lubricity properties such
as higher flash point temperature and viscosity index (VI) made it become one of biolubricant
demanding recently. An experimental study was carried out by using four-ball machine
tribotester. The test conditions were 10 minutes of operating time under 40 kg, 80kg, 120kg, and
160kg at a rotational speed of 1200rpm. Besides that, test temperatures were set at room
temperature. The experimental findings examined that nanoparticles TiO 2 added to TMP esters
exhibit resistance to friction and wear process. With the addition of nanoparticles to TMP esters
improved in the friction coefficient reduction by 15% and wear scar diameter by 11%
respectively compared to pure TMP ester. In brief, TMP ester with TiO 2 nanoparticles is
biogradebly and environmental-friendly desired to base oil lubricant. In future, some research
should be encouraged to investigate the properties of TMP ester with nanoparticles towards
economical and competitive technology automotive lubricant to meet future demands.
Introduction
Experimental Method
The titanium oxide (TiO2) is added to TMP ester lubricants. However, it is difficult to
form a stable dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles as their high surface energy nanoparticles due to
their tendency to agglomerate and settle down. Thus, glycol act as solvent in order to disperse
TiO2 nanoparticles to exhibit the nanoparticles from oxidizing with air and to establish the stable
additive solution. The lubricant tested in weight percentage containing 90% TMP ester and 10%
of additive solution. The additive solution containing 1% nanoparticles which dispersed in
biolubricant in ultrasonic bath for 8 hours. Hence, the density and viscosity of biolubricant were
measured and shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1:Density and Viscosity of pure TMP ester and TMP ester added nanoparticle
Friction and wear test. Four ball machine test is used to analyse coefficient of friction (COF)
on pure TMP ester and TMP ester adding with nanoparticle. It consist of three balls held
stationary in ball pot and one ball in a rotating spindle as shown in Figure 1. The specifications
of the ball are: steel ball by using standard AISI 52-100, diameter of 12.7 mm and hardness in
range of 60-64 Rc. These balls were cleaned using toluene before experiment to make sure no
contaminants sticked on the ball. The test conditions are shown in Table 2 below:
The wear scar diameter of each of the three bottom balls was measured to determine the lubricity
performance of the tested lubricant. The wear scar diameter was evaluated by calibrated
microscope.
The results reveals that increase steadily on the percentage of reduction in COF as the
nanoparticles in TMP esters which around 15%. It shows that nanoparticles diffused and
embedded at the contact surface. An additional protective layer is formed on the lubricant film
thickness [13]. There are probability mechanism occurred: the nanoparticles molten and welded
on the shearing surface, nanoparticle act as a protective form layer or tribo-sintered on the
surface [14].
Figure 2 : The effect of load on COF on pure TMP ester and TMP ester with nanoparticles
Wear Scar Diameter. The graph in Figure 3 indicates that the effect of nanoparticles on wear
scar diameter (WSD). Based on Figure 3, it is reveals that, as the load increases, the wear scar
diameter increases. The influence of wear scar diameter is depending on the operating time and
type of oil. Moreover, nanoparticles proof that wear scar diameter is dominated by minimal
abrasive wearThe wear scar diameter was almost invisible as the nanoparticle successfully act as
protective layer to reduce the wear process. In fact, nanoparticles are sufficient in the lubricant to
provide adequate protection film for the contact surfaces.
Figure 2 : The effect of WSD on COF on pure TMP ester and TMP ester with nanoparticles
Conclusions
This experimental study was investigated on effect of nanoparticles on biolubricant TMP esters.
As the result analyse, it indicates that nanoparticles provide protective layer which reduce COF
up to 15% with increasing load conditions. The wear scar diameter (WSD) also reduced up to
11% as the ability of nanoparticle could withstand the extreme pressure conditions.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the University of Malaya, which made this study possible
through the research grant FRGS FP020/2011A, PV070/2011B and high impact research grant
no UM.C/HIR/MOHE/ENG/07.
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