Lubricant is an indispensable lubricating medium in industry and daily life, which can reduce friction and wear between mechanical parts and extend the service life of equipment. As an additive, lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) plays an important role in lubricants due to its unique chemical properties.
1. Chemical properties of lithium carbonate
Lithium carbonate is a white crystalline solid with high alkalinity. It has low solubility in water but good solubility in oil. The main role of lithium carbonate in lubricating oil is as a detergent and anti-wear agent.
2. The cleaning effect of lithium carbonate
Lubricating oil in the process of use, due to oxidation and pollution, will produce sludge and carbon. Lithium carbonate can react with these acidic substances to generate the corresponding salts, thus reducing the generation of sludge and carbon. The reaction equation is as follows:
2Li2CO3+H2O+2RCOOH→4LiR+4CO2+2H2O2Li2CO3+H2O+2RCOOH→4LiR+4CO2+2H2 O
where RR stands for alkyl.
3. Antiwear effect of lithium carbonate
In mechanical movement, contact between metal surfaces generates friction and wear. Under high temperature and pressure, lithium carbonate can react with the metal surface to generate a protective film, which reduces the direct contact between the metals and thus plays an anti-wear role. The reaction equation is as follows:
Li2CO3→Li2O+CO2Li2CO3→Li2O+CO2
Li2O+2Fe→2LiFeOLi2O+2Fe→2LiFeO
In this process, Li2OLi2O reacts with metallic iron to produce a lithium metal oxide, and this oxide film can well protect the metal surface and reduce wear.
4. Stability of lithium carbonate
The stability of lithium carbonate in lubricants is the key to its application. At high temperatures, lithium carbonate does not decompose easily and is able to maintain its performance. In addition, it is compatible with other additives in the lubricant and will not affect the overall performance of the lubricant.
5. Application scope of lithium carbonate
As a lubricant additive, lithium carbonate is widely used in automobile, aviation, industrial machinery and other fields. In internal combustion engine lubricants, hydraulic oils, gear oils and other products, lithium carbonate can provide good cleaning and anti-wear effects.
6. Environmental impact
Although lithium carbonate has many advantages in lubricating oils, its impact on the environment should not be ignored. The decomposition products of lithium carbonate may cause some pollution to the environment. Therefore, when applying lithium carbonate, it is necessary to consider its environmental impact and take appropriate measures to reduce pollution.
7. Conclusion
The use of lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) as a lubricant additive mainly utilizes its property of forming a protective film on the metal surface to achieve anti-wear and friction reduction, antioxidant and anti-corrosion effects. In the composition of lubricating oil, base oil occupies 70-90%, and the remaining 10-30% consists of a variety of additives, which include anti-wear agents, antioxidants, detergents, dispersants, viscosity index improvers and so on. Lithium carbonate as a kind of additives, the amount of its addition needs to be determined according to the specific application scenarios and the formulation of the lubricant, in order to achieve the expected lubricating effect and performance.