Lubrication and Anti-Rust Properties of Jeffamine-Triazole Derivative as Water-Based Lubricant Additive

With the worldwide concern of environmental protection, water-based lubricants exhibit extensive potential applications due to their advantages of energy-conservation, innocuity, and competitive price. Nonetheless, the common lubricating additives currently available in the market are mainly oil-based, while multifunctional water lubricants are rare. This paper reports a sulfur- and phosphorus-free multifunctional additive with high water-solubility, which is applicable for multitype material surfaces. Specifically, through the Mannich reaction method, a Jeffamine-triazole derivative was synthesized from olyetheramine and benzotriazole. Compared with distilled water, the derivative exhibited superior friction reduction and wear resistance properties in water, with the friction reduction rate up to 72.7% and 70.2% for steel/steel and steel/aluminum contacts, respectively, when the concentration of the JD2000 is 2 wt.%. Remarkably, the wear resistance property for steel/aluminum contact is improved by 88.2%. Moreover, the additive showed corrosion inhibition on the metal surface by 75.5%. We further revealed the lubrication and anti-rust mechanisms: the additives are adsorbed on the surfaces through nitrogen atoms, and the long-chain structure of polyether can cover the sliding surfaces, forming a stable viscoelastic film to prevent the severe damages caused by the direct contact between rough friction pairs. Concurrently, the dense protective film can resist the corrosion of environmental media on the metal surface and delay the metal rust. This research may provide a candidate for an ecofriendly multifunctional water-based lubricating additive.