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Tribological Assessment of Synthetic Grease (PDPLG-2) Derived from Partially Degraded Low-Density Polyethylene Waste
Summary
This study evaluates the friction, wear, and lubrication performance of synthetic grease produced from recycled waste plastics, assessing whether it can meet the tribological demands of mechanical applications. The research supports circular economy goals by exploring a value-added use case for plastic waste that would otherwise require complex recycling or disposal.
This study focuses on addressing the pressing challenge of reusing plastic in an eco-friendly manner. This research aimed to produce synthetic grease through an environmentally friendly pyrolysis technique, utilizing 69% predegraded low-density polyethylene (LDPE) combined with visible-light-working TiO2 thin film, protein-coated TiO2 NPs, and Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria in a batch reactor. The optimized conditions of temperature (500 °C) and heating time (2 h) resulted in the creation of 166 gm of partially degraded polyethylene grease 2 (PDPLG2) with National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI 2) grade consistency. PDPLG2 grease exhibits a wide-range dropping point of 280 °C and effectively maintains lubrication under high friction and stress loads, thereby preventing wear. Thermal analysis using TG and DSC validated the grease’s stability up to 280 °C, with minimal degradation beyond this point. Taguchi analysis using substance, sliding speed, and load as factors identified the ideal process parameters as aluminum, 1500 rpm, and 150 N, respectively. The present study revealed that sliding speed has the greatest impact, contributing 31.74% to the coefficient of friction (COF) and 11.28% to wear, followed by material and load. Comparative tribological analysis with commercially available grease (NLGI2) demonstrated that PDPLG2 grease outperforms NLGI2 grease. Overall, this innovative eco-friendly approach presents PDPLG2 as a promising alternative lubricant with improved anti-wear and friction properties, while also contributing significantly to plastic waste reduction.