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Molecular Behavior of Room-temperature Ionic Liquids under Lubricating Condition

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Abstract

The molecular behavior of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) under lubricating condition was analyzed using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy equipped with a pin-on-disk tribometer to simultaneously measure the friction force, normal load, and IR spectrum. When 1-metyl-3-butylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([BMIM]OTf), which is miscible with water, was used as a lubricant, the water content increased with time, and the ratio of water to cation remained constant even though the film thickness reduced under the lubricating condition at a load of ~25 N. When 1-metyl-3-butylimidazolium tetrafluorophosphate ([BMIM]PF6), which is water-insoluble, was used as a lubricant, the water content was quite small and increased slightly with time, and the ratio of water to cation also remained constant even when a normal load of ~25 N was applied. The SUJ2 pin surface showed oxidative discoloration after the friction test using [BMIM]OTf, but there was little change in color when[BMIM]PF6 was used. XPS results indicated that iron oxide, chromium oxide and sulfate were observed on the worn pin surface using [BMIM]OTf and the CaF2 disk. However, iron oxide and iron phosphate were observed for the worn pin surface using [BMIM]PF6 and the CaF2 disk. These results suggest that the amount of water contained in the RTILs as well as window materials have a significant effect on the tribo-chemical reaction of RTILs.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (No. 23246030) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

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  1. Koji Takiwatari

    Present address: Department of Chemical Engineering, Ichinoseki National College of technology, Takanashi, Hagisho, Ichinoseki, Iwate, 021-8511, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tokyo University of Science, 6-3-1 Niijyuku, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, 125-8585, Japan

    Seiya Watanabe, Ryo Tsuboi & Shinya Sasaki

  2. Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute (AMRI), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-2-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8564, Japan

    Koji Takiwatari, Miki Nakano & Koji Miyake

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  1. Seiya Watanabe
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Correspondence to Shinya Sasaki.

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Watanabe, S., Takiwatari, K., Nakano, M. et al. Molecular Behavior of Room-temperature Ionic Liquids under Lubricating Condition. Tribol Lett 51, 227–234 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11249-013-0130-1

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