Lubricating Performance of PAO Oils Additivated with Combinations of ZDDP, Metal Sulfides, and Carbon Nanotubes

PRIETO, G.; OVANDO, E.; ABDELNABE, J. P.; SILVA CÁRDENAS, I. H.; ANTONELLI, M. M.; TUCKART, W. R.

Vitoria

Conferencia; TriboBr 2023; 2023

Wind turbines rely on efficient lubrication of their gearboxes to operate effectively. The complexity of the gearbox´s lubrication requirements, due to the size and nature of its components, operating conditions, and need for long service life, is addressed by using advanced base oils, such as Polyalphaolephins, and additives. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) is a traditional anti-wear additive, thanks to its capacity to form tribolayers that reduce friction and protect surfaces against wear. Solid lubricants, such as metal sulfides and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), can also improve lubricating properties. In this work, different oil formulations containing a PAO 6 base oil additivated with ZDDP and solid lubricants were evaluated in block-on-ring tests. It found that oils with ZDDP and CNTs exhibited the best tribological behavior, reducing friction by 24% and wear by 70%.