Influence of the Copper Behenate Mesogenic Additive on Rheological and Tribotechnical Characteristics of Plastic Lubricants

Abstract
Тo explore the effect of the discotic additive (the long chain copper carboxylate, which is a derivative of behenic acid) on the tribological characteristics of plastic lubricant, the experimental data of the rheological and tribological properties of friction elements in the presence of lubricants on the basis of calcium and lithium salts were obtained. The positive change in the rheological properties of the blend compositions containing the mesogenic copper behenate has been found. It was established that this additive improves tribological characteristics of calcium and lithium-based greases. It was defined that the addition of copper begenate into both type greases increases their dropping temperature. Analysis of the tribological characteristics shows that the addition of copper begenate into the lithium-based lubricant reduces the friction coefficient by 36 %, and its addition into calcium-based lubricant reduces wear of friction pairs in 3.7 times. The obtained results give reason to recommend the mesogenic copper behenate as anti-friction additive for lithium-based lubricants, and as anti-wear additive – for calcium based-greases.

Keywords: copper carboxylates, copper behenate, friction coefficient, wear, lubrication, liquid crystals, penetration, dropping point, rheology