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Experiments on Ultrasonic Lubrication Using a Piezoelectrically-assisted Tribometer and Optical Profilometer
Published on: September 28, 2015
Ionic liquids in tribology.
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8551, Japan. ichiro@iwate-u.ac.jp
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2009
Summary
Room-temperature ionic liquids offer excellent lubrication properties like non-volatility. Research shows specific ionic liquid structures enhance lubricity and stability, with hydrophobic anions forming protective metal fluoride layers.
Area of Science:
- Tribology
- Materials Science
- Chemistry
Background:
- Ionic liquids (ILs) are investigated as advanced lubricants due to their non-volatility, non-flammability, and high thermal stability.
- Research on ILs for lubrication began around 2001, with significant fundamental studies published by May 2009.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current research on room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as lubricants.
- To discuss the structure-property relationships of ILs for tribological applications.
- To introduce the field of tribology and additive technologies for lubrication.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of approximately 70 articles on fundamental research of ILs for lubrication.
- Analysis of cation and anion structures influencing lubrication performance and stability.
- Examination of tribochemical reactions and additive technologies.
Main Results:
- 1,3-dialkylimidazolium cations with longer alkyl chains improve lubricity but decrease thermo-oxidative stability.
- Hydrophobic anions enhance both lubricity and thermo-oxidative stability.
- Tribochemical reactions of anions generate protective metal fluoride layers on surfaces.
Conclusions:
- Ionic liquids show significant promise as high-performance lubricants.
- Optimizing cation and anion structures is crucial for balancing lubricity and stability.
- Further research into additive technologies can enhance IL lubricant performance.
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