Highly co-polymer viscosity for improving lubricant flow properties and tribological performance

In mechanical systems, lubricants are essential for lowering wear, friction, and energy losses. Viscosity, viscosity index, pour point, and tribological performance are important lubricant qualities that have shown encouraging improvements with the addition of copolymers. In this study, Co-polymers based on acrylate derivatives were synthesized by polymerization using Azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a radical initiator. The resulting copolymers were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to confirm their chemical structure. A series of solubility, viscosity, and molecular weight tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of these copolymers as viscosity index improvers for lubricating oils. Copolymers dissolved well in base oils, while the viscosity measurements revealed significant enhancements in oil viscosity, especially at higher temperatures. The impact of copolymer concentration, molecular weight, and alkyl chain length on viscosity index was explored, with the results indicating a strong correlation between molecular weight and viscosity enhancement. Additionally, tribological tests using the Four Ball Tester exhibited that the copolymers reduced wear and improved lubrication performance. These findings highlight the potential of alkyl acrylate-based copolymers as effective additives in lubricants for improving their thermal stability and viscosity index.