Friction Resistance of Refined, Bleached and Deodorized (RBD) Palm Olein Using Modified Pin-on-disk Tribotester

Daya geseran untuk minyak sawit olein yang ditapis, diluntur dan dinyahbau (RBD olein) telah dinilai dengan menggunakan alat tribotester pin-atas-cakera. RBD olein telah dipilih kerana sifat-sifat unggul tribologi dan pengeluarannya yang besar di Malaysia. Dalam kajian ini, 5ml minyak RBD olein telahdigunakan pada cakera beralur. Pin yang mempunyai hujung rata telah digunakan sebagai bahan ujikaji. Cakera dan pin diperbuat daripada titanium alloy. Beban normal yang dikenakan pada pin ialah 4.96N dan 19.68N. Ujikaji telah dijalankan selama satu jam. Kadar haus pin dan pekali geseran telah dikira. Ujikaji yang sama telah dijalankan dengan menggunakan minyak hidraulik komersial dan minyak mineral jenis parafinik yang tidak mengandungi bahan tambah. Pekali geseran yang dihasilkan oleh pelinciran minyak sawit RBD olein adalah terendah berbanding minyak mineral parafinik pada kedua-dua jenis beban(4.96N dan 19.68N). Bagaimanapun, minyak sawit RBD olein menunjukkan kadar haus yang tinggi berbanding minyak mineral parafinik pada beban normal 19.68N. Kata kunci: Pin-atas-cakera; minyak sawit; palm olein; haus; pekali geseran A friction resistance of refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm olein was evaluated using a modified pin-on-disk tribotester. RBD palm olein was selected due to its superior tribological properties and large production in Malaysia. In this research, 5ml of RBD palm olein was applied on the rotating grooved-disk. The flat-ended pin was used as a specimen. The material was titanium for both pin and disk. The normal loads applied are 4.96N and 19.68N. The experiments were run for one hour. The wear rate of the pin and friction coefficient was calculated. Same experiments were conducted using commercial hydraulic oil and additive-free paraffinic mineral oil. The results were compared with RBD palm olein. The friction coefficient with the lubrication of RBD palm olein was the lowest for 4.96N and 19.68N under normal load conditions. Wear rate obtained by RBD palm olein at normal load 4.96N was the lowest; however, RBD palm olein showed a high wear rate when high normal load (19.68N) was applied. Keywords: Pin-on-disk; palm oil; palm olein; wear; friction coefficient