Laxative inspired ionic liquid lubricants with good detergency and no corrosion

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Tribology
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Conventional ionic liquids (ILs) often face challenges in industrial applications due to corrosion and high costs.
• There is a need for cost-effective and environmentally benign lubricants with enhanced performance.
• Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (NaDOSS), a readily available laxative, presents an opportunity for novel ionic liquid synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (L-DOSS10n) ionic liquids.
• To evaluate the tribological properties, corrosion levels, and hydrolysis stabilities of these synthesized ILs.
• To assess their potential as replacements for conventional IL lubricants and their detergency capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of L-DOSS10n ionic liquids (n = 2, 4, 8) from NaDOSS.
• Corrosion and hydrolysis stability testing compared to conventional ILs (e.g., L-B104, L-F104).
• Tribological performance evaluation under various contact conditions.
• Coking tests to determine detergency and cleaning abilities.

Main Results:

• Synthesized ILs exhibited lower corrosion and higher hydrolysis stability than conventional ILs, attributed to their halogen-free nature.
• The L-DOSS10n ILs demonstrated superior tribological properties compared to L-B104 and L-F104.
• Coking tests revealed a high detergency ability, indicating effectiveness in preventing and removing carbonaceous deposits, sludge, and varnish.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized L-DOSS10n ionic liquids are viable, cost-effective alternatives to conventional IL lubricants.
• Their halogen-free characteristic contributes to reduced corrosion and enhanced stability.
• These novel ILs possess significant potential for industrial applications, particularly in lubrication and surface cleaning due to their excellent detergency and anti-deposition properties.