Anti-spreading behavior of 1,3-diketone lubricating oil on steel surfaces

For many precision devices with limited amount of lubricants, the retention of lubricating oil between solid surfaces is of great significance for the lubrication reliability in the long-term operation. In this study, the spreading behavior of a synthetic 1,3-diketone lubricant (1-(4-ethyl phenyl) nonane-1,3-dione) 02/06 on steel surfaces was investigated. By measuring the surface tension of oil and the surface energy of steel, the spreading parameter of 02/06 was determined, which was much smaller than the reference oils with similar viscosity. Rotary friction test shows that 02/06 was positioned at the contact region in the presence of a strong centrifugal force and performed a stable ultralow friction. Moreover, the addition of 02/06 into the reference oils also improved the lubricant retention.