Carbon black (CB) and three kinds of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) including multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs), carboxyl multiwalled CNTs (CMWCNTs), and single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) were doped as conductive additives in poly(ethylene glycol-ran-propylene glycol) monobutyl ether (denoted as PAG) to afford conductive greases in the presence of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as the thickener and acetone as the polar dispersant. The effects of the conductive additives on the conductive capacity and tribological characteristics of the PAG grease were investigated, and the tribological action mechanisms of the conductive additives were analyzed in relation to worn surface analyses by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Results indicate that the SWCNTs can reduce the volume resistivity of the base grease by over 10,000 times. In the meantime, the CB and the three kinds of CNTs as conductive additives can improve the tribological characteristics of the base grease to some extent, and the CNTs are advantageous over the CB in improving the friction-reducing and antiwear abilities of the base grease. The reason lies in that CNTs with a small size and a large specific surface area can be easily adsorbed on sliding steel surfaces to form a surface protective film.
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January 2016
Research-Article
Influence of Carbon Nanotubes on Conductive Capacity and Tribological Characteristics of Poly(ethylene Glycol-Ran-Propylene Glycol) Monobutyl Ether as Base Oil of Grease
Xiangyu Ge,
Xiangyu Ge
School of Energy Power
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: ge.x.y@hotmail.com
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: ge.x.y@hotmail.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Yanqiu Xia,
Yanqiu Xia
School of Energy Power
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China;
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China;
State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication,
Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Lanzhou 730000, China
e-mail: xiayq@ncepu.edu.cn
Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Lanzhou 730000, China
e-mail: xiayq@ncepu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Xin Feng
Xin Feng
School of Energy Power
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: fengxinemail@ncepu.edu.cn
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: fengxinemail@ncepu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Xiangyu Ge
School of Energy Power
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: ge.x.y@hotmail.com
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: ge.x.y@hotmail.com
Yanqiu Xia
School of Energy Power
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China;
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China;
State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication,
Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Lanzhou 730000, China
e-mail: xiayq@ncepu.edu.cn
Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Lanzhou 730000, China
e-mail: xiayq@ncepu.edu.cn
Xin Feng
School of Energy Power
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: fengxinemail@ncepu.edu.cn
and Mechanical Engineering,
North China Electric Power University,
Beijing 102206, China
e-mail: fengxinemail@ncepu.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Tribology Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF TRIBOLOGY. Manuscript received June 15, 2015; final manuscript received July 29, 2015; published online September 7, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Dae-Eun Kim.
J. Tribol. Jan 2016, 138(1): 011801 (6 pages)
Published Online: September 7, 2015
Article history
Received:
June 15, 2015
Revised:
July 29, 2015
Citation
Ge, X., Xia, Y., and Feng, X. (September 7, 2015). "Influence of Carbon Nanotubes on Conductive Capacity and Tribological Characteristics of Poly(ethylene Glycol-Ran-Propylene Glycol) Monobutyl Ether as Base Oil of Grease." ASME. J. Tribol. January 2016; 138(1): 011801. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031232
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