Premium
Synthetic Lubricants Derived from Plastic Waste and their Tribological Performance
Author(s) -
Hackler Ryan A.,
Vyavhare Kimaya,
Kennedy Robert M.,
Celik Gokhan,
Kanbur Uddhav,
Griffin Philip J.,
Sadow Aaron D.,
Zang Guiyan,
Elgowainy Amgad,
Sun Pingping,
Poeppelmeier Kenneth R.,
Erdemir Ali,
Delferro Massimiliano
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.202100912
Subject(s) - lubricant , polyolefin , compatibility (geochemistry) , materials science , tribology , durability , synthetic oil , plastic waste , petroleum , pulp and paper industry , waste management , base oil , process engineering , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering , scanning electron microscope , layer (electronics)
Abstract The energy efficiency, mechanical durability, and environmental compatibility of all moving machine components rely heavily on advanced lubricants for smooth and safe operation. Herein an alternative family of high‐quality liquid (HQL) lubricants was derived by the catalytic conversion of pre‐ and post‐consumer polyolefin waste. The plastic‐derived lubricants performed comparably to synthetic base oils such as polyalphaolefins (PAOs), both with a wear scar volume (WSV) of 7.5×10 −5 mm −3 . HQLs also performed superior to petroleum‐based lubricants such as Group III mineral oil with a WSV of 1.7×10 −4 mm −3 , showcasing a 44 % reduction in wear. Furthermore, a synergistic reduction in friction and wear was observed when combining the upcycled plastic lubricant with synthetic oils. Life cycle and techno‐economic analyses also showed this process to be energetically efficient and economically feasible. This novel technology offers a cost‐effective opportunity to reduce the harmful environmental impact of plastic waste on our planet and to save energy through reduction of friction and wear‐related degradations in transportation applications akin to synthetic oils.