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Lubrication of starch in ionic liquid–water mixtures: Soluble carbohydrate polymers form a boundary film on hydrophobic surfaces

Lookup NU author(s): Professor David XieORCiD

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Abstract

Soluble starch polymers are shown to enhance the lubrication of ionic liquid–water solvent mixtures in low-pressure tribological contacts between hydrophobic substrates. A fraction of starch polymers become highly soluble in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIMAc)–water solvents with ionic liquid fraction ≥60 wt%. In 65 wt% EMIMAc, a small amount of soluble starch (0.33 wt%) reduces the boundary friction coefficient by up to a third in comparison to that of the solvent. This low-friction is associated with a nanometre thick film (ca. 2 nm) formed from the amylose fraction of the starch. In addition, under conditions where there is a mixture of insoluble starch particles and solubilised starch polymers, it is found that the presence of dissolved amylose enhances the lubrication of starch suspensions between roughened substrates. These findings open up the possibility of utilising starch biopolymers, as well as other hydrocolloids, for enhancing the performance of ionic liquid lubricants.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Yakubov GE, Zhong L, Li M, Boehm MW, Xie F, Halley PJ, Stokes JR

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Carbohydrate Polymers

Year: 2015

Volume: 133

Pages: 507-516

Print publication date: 20/11/2015

Online publication date: 09/07/2015

Acceptance date: 29/06/2015

Date deposited: 10/10/2023

ISSN (print): 0144-8617

ISSN (electronic): 1879-1344

Publisher: Carbohydrate Polymers

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.06.087

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.06.087

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