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Tribology Characteristic of Journal Bearing Material

under

Biolubricant with Nanoparticle

Salmiah Kasolang1.a, Nor Syahirah Mohamad1.b, H.H.Masjuki1.c


1
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UITM),40 450
Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

2
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.Universiti Malaya,50 603 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia

a
salmiahk@salam.uitm.edu.my, bdiksyira91@gmail.com

Keywords: Nanoparticles, Biolubricant, Wear

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

Nowadays,worldwide attention on renewable resources and environmental issue are


necessary for high efficient utilization. Numerous researchers have been investigated on
environmentally-friendly lubricants which are represented as tendency of new lubricant in the
next century. The purpose of lubricant is to reduce contacts between two surfaces which may
leading wear process to occur. Additives play a major role in order to enhance the tribological
properties of lubricants by creating a protective layer. In addition, the use of nanoparticles as an
additive in the lubricant has been a major research in recent years. The main advantage by adding
nanoparticles in lubricants is that they may withstand to temperature and act as a third body
between two surface contacts by deposition on the contact surface [1].

The performance of nanoparticles on friction-reduction and wear behaviors are depends


on the size, shapes, hardness and the weight percentage of the nanoparticle. Normally, the size of
nanoparticles in the range of 2-120 nm respectively[2]. Hu et al. [3] were investigated the
effectiveness of particle size of molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2) nanoparticles additive in liquid
paraffin. It is shown that nano-sized particles were more effective compared to micro-sized
particles in reducing friction and wear under extreme operating conditions. Besides that,
Hernandez Battez et al. [4] studied extreme-pressure behavior of nanoparticles of copper
oxide(CuO), zinc oxide(ZnO) and zirconium dioxide(ZrO 2) in a polyalphaolefin (PAO 6) was
dispersed in 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 wt%. Hence, all concentrations of nanoparticles improved the
extreme pressure properties of PAO 6 from the analysis of the worn surface according to their
size and hardness [1].

The insufficient supply of petroleum fuel, increasing consumption and environmental


pollution has been concerned as the depend on the usage of petroleum based lubricant.
Therefore, it is important to identify an alternative lubricant to meet demand for future [5]. The
renewability, environmental-friendly, less toxicity and biodegradability of vegetable oil may
substitute the usage of petroleum based lubricant as it has numerous advantages [6].
Trimethylolpropane (TMP) ester is an example of biolubricant produce from renewable
sources like palm oil and jatropha oil [7,8]. The properties of high performance and
environmentally-friendly of ester made them able to be exploited throughout the supply chain
(gear oil, engine oil and hydraulic oil). Moreover, esters are polar lubricant and able to migrate to
metal surfaces from physical bonds with the surface oxide layer [9].

Nevertheless, only several studies investigated on the effect of nanoparticles to


biolubricant performances. The aim of this study is to analyse the effect biolubricant
characteristics by adding nanoparticles at different load conditions.

Experimental Method

Sample Preparation. In this experiment, biolubricant trimethylolpropane (TMP) ester is used as


the base oil. Transesterification process through palm oil methyl ester will produce TMP ester. It
removes the hydrogen molecule on the position of the beta carbon of the palm oil substrate. As a
result, the properties of TMP ester on oxidation and thermal stability going better as the main
characteristic if vegetable oils [10]. Besides that, TMP esters may withstand to friction-reduction
and anti-wear properties [11].

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

Sample Viscosity Viscosity Density


40C(cSt) 100C(cSt) Index (g/cm3)
(VI)
PureTMP 101.86 1.53 14.460.35 146 0.85490.0174
ester
TMP ester 108.751.22 15.080.28 145 0.85530.0168
added with
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:

Table 2 : Test conditions on four ball machine test

Variable Test condition


Load (kg) 40-120
Rotational speed (rpm) 1200
Operation time 10 minutes

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.

Figure 1 : Schematic of four-ball test machine

Results and Discussion


Friction Analysis. In general, the results from the analysis presented in Figure 2.It illustrates the
proportion of pure TMP ester and TMP ester with nanoparticle according to different load
conditions. As can be seen in Figure 2, it is very obvious that friction increases gradually with
incremental increases in the normal load.. The significant reason for increase in COF due to
inadequate pressure generated in the lubricant to carry the load which will produce higher stress
concentration.These conditions occur during mixed lubrication regime as well as the lubricant
thickness in the range of 3-25nm [12]. These findings support the idea raised in the other
research that these condition occur during startup, shutdown and low speeds of shaft rotation.

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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