Md. Abdul Maleque

Effect of mechanical factors on tribological properties of palm oil methyl ester blended lubricant

Abstract The effects of mechanical factors viz. applied load and temperature on the tribological performance of 5% palm oil methyl ester (POME) blended lubricant were studied using a steel–cast iron pair. Wear and frictional measurements were made using a stationary steel ball and a reciprocating cast iron plate in a modified universal wear and friction testing machine. The test conditions were contact pressure, 400 MPa; mean contact velocity, 0.34 m/s; reciprocating stroke, 80 mm; loads, 100–1100 N (fixed temperature); and temperature, 40–140°C (fixed load). Wear scar surfaces were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the wear mechanisms involved. Analysis of post bench test lubricating oils was performed using an ISL viscometer and TAN/TBN analyzers to investigate the lubricating oil degradation properties. Results showed that at lower loads (up to 500 N) and temperatures (up to 100°C), the wear rates under 5% POME lubricant are lower, whereas at higher loads and temperatures, the wear rates are higher. The friction behavior of POME as an additive in commercial lubricant indicates the prevalence of the boundary lubrication regime. The viscosity test results showed that 5% POME can improve the viscosity index (VI) properties of mineral-based lubricant up to 500 N load. However, in this investigation, corrosive wear and pits on the damaged surface are the dominant wear mode at higher temperature.

Palm oil and mineral oil based lubricants-their tribological and emission performance

A comparative study of wear, friction, viscosity, lubricant degradation and exhaust emissions was carried out on a palm oil and a mineral oil-based commercial lubricating oil. The wear and friction test was at first conducted using a reciprocating universal wear machine followed by a two-stroke gasoline Yamaha portable generator set, ET 950. The test conditions for the bench test were: pressure, 3.0 MPa; sliding speed, 0.20 m s−1; sliding stroke, 80 mm; room temperature, ≅25°C. The test conditions for the actual engine were: constant load, 0.4 kW for wear of the piston ring but various loads for exhaust emissions and constant speed, 2800 rpm. Analysis of post bench test lubricating oils was performed using ISL viscometer, TAN/TBN analyzer and FT-IR spectroscopy to investigate viscosity, TAN value and the oxidation level, respectively. Exhaust emission analysis was also performed using a BOSCH exhaust gas analyzer. Experimental results demonstrated that the palm oil based lubricating oil exhibited better performance in terms of wears, and that the mineral oil based lubricating oil exhibited better performance in terms of friction. However, the palm oil based lubricant was the more effective in reducing the emmission levels of CO and hydrocarbon.

Vegetable‐based biodegradable lubricating oil additives

Recently, much effort has been focused on research and development of new types of lubricating oil additives to reduce wear and friction in the tribological systems. It has been noted that the use of additives to improve the lubricating capacity and durability of oil plays an important role in the wear and friction process of materials. Due to the environmental problems, many researchers are embarking on the viability of the vegetable‐based lubricants. In this article a critical review has been made on vegetable‐based lubricant additives with specific properties and application. This article explains the advantages and manufacturing processes of vegetable‐based oils, which will give a better understanding of using biodegradable lubricating oil additives. A case study on palm oil methyl ester as an additive has been presented in this paper.

The Effect of Environmental Treatments on Fiber Surface Properties and Tensile Strength of Sugar Palm Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Fiber glass has been used widely in manufacturing industries, especially marine industries, because of low cost and high strength. However, glass fiber can cause acute irritation to the skin, eyes, and upper respiratory tract. This study looked at the possibility of substituting glass fiber with natural fiber in composite materials. The surface properties of sugar palm fiber (Arenga pinnata) were modified using seawater and freshwater as treatment substances. This led to biological, chemical, and water degradation of the sugar palm fiber. Morphological and structural changes in the fibers were investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A series of tensile tests based on ASTM D638-99 was carried out on epoxy composites with 15% sugar palm fiber by volume. It was found that seawater and freshwater treatments improved the surface properties of the sugar palm fiber and thus resulted in better adhesion quality as compared to untreated fiber. An improvement in tensile strength also supported this finding. Treatment with seawater for 30 days proved to be the best, with 67.26% increase in tensile strength.

Performance, emissions and wear characteristics of an indirect injection diesel engine using coconut oil blended fuel

Abstract Dynamometer tests have been carried out to evaluate the performance, emissions and wear characteristics of an indirect injection diesel engine when fuelled by 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 per cent blends of ordinary coconut oil (COCO) with ordinary diesel fuel (OD). The test was conducted for 100 h using each of the test fuels to monitor the effect of COCO blends on the wear and lubricating oil performance. OD fuel was also used for comparison purposes. The operating performance of the engine and the emission characteristics of exhaust gases were compared. The effect of blended fuel on the engins wear and lubrication characteristics in terms of wear metal (Fe), water concentration, oxidation, viscosity, total base number and additive depletion was analysed. The performance and emissions characteristics results showed that 10-30 per cent coconut oil blends produced slightly higher performance in terms of brake power than OD. All the COCO blends produced lower exhaust emissions including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and particulate matter. The wear and lubrication oil characteristics results showed that COCO blends up to 30 per cent produced similar results to OD. This programme will give useful information for further research and development in the future if COCO is used as an alternative to OD.

Thermo-mechanical behaviors of thermoplastic starch derived from sugar palm tree (Arenga pinnata).

In recent years, increasing environmental concerns focused greater attention on the development of biodegradable materials. A thermoplastic starch derived from bioresources, sugar palm tree was successfully developed in the presence of biodegradable glycerol as a plasticizer. Sugar palm starch (SPS) was added with 15-40 w/w% of glycerol to prepare workable bioplastics and coded as SPS/G15, SPS/G20, SPS/G30 and SPS/G40. The samples were characterized for thermal properties, mechanical properties and moisture absorption on exposure to humidity were evaluated. Morphological studies through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to explain the observed mechanical properties. Generally, the addition of glycerol decrease the transition temperature of plasticized SPS. The mechanical properties of plasticized SPS increase with the increasing of glycerol but up to 30 w/w%. Meanwhile, the water absorption of plasticized SPS decrease with increasing of glycerol.

The effect of palm oil diesel fuel contaminated lubricant on sliding wear of cast irons against mild steel

Abstract The effect of various percentages of palm oil diesel (POD) fuel contaminated lubricants on the wear characteristics of cast irons during sliding contact was investigated. This was done on three types of cast iron, namely spheroidal graphite, flake graphite and chilled cast iron against a mild steel disc configuration using a pin-on-disc type of friction and wear apparatus. The lubricants used for the test specimen were Mach 5 SAE 40 with various percentages of POD. For comparison purposes, pure diesel engine lubricant oil and pure palm oil diesel were also used as lubricants. The test conditions were as follows: pressure, 1 MPa; sliding speed, 0.2 m s −1 ; sliding distance, 56 km; room temperature, ∼30°C. It was observed that the addition of 5% palm oil diesel into the engine lubricant improves the performance of the lubricant in terms of anti-wear characteristics, reducing the wear rate of cast irons. The use of pure commercial (0% POD contamination) lubricant resulted in a moderate wear rate, whilst pure POD (100%) lubricant produced the highest wear rate compared with the other combinations of contaminated lubricants.

The applicability of ISO household refrigerator–freezer energy test specifications in Malaysia

ISO 8187, ISO 8561, and ISO 7371 are the relevant test standards for household refrigerating appliances. This paper presents the possibility of introducing ISO household refrigerator–freezer test standards in Malaysia. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of room temperature, door opening, thermostat setting position, relative humidity, and loading on energy consumption of a household refrigerator–freezer. With the experimental data, a multiple regression equation is developed to investigate their combined effect. Finally, energy consumption according to the regression equation with optimum setting conditions is compared with ISO standard test conditions. Our comparison reveals that ISO refrigerator–freezer test standards are applicable with respect to Malaysian climatic conditions and usage patterns.

Sugar palm tree: a versatile plant and novel source for biofibres, biomatrices, and biocomposites

The use of green materials is a vital component in tackling problems of environmental protection. At the same time, these materials help solve problems arising from the shortage and undegradable nature of petroleum-based materials. Among the numerous green material sources in Malaysia, the sugar palm tree is a versatile plant that can produce biofibres, biomatrices, and biocomposites for a wide range of applications. This paper focuses mainly on the significance of the unutilised part of sugar fibres, as they are highly durable and easy to process. Besides discussing recent advances in research into sugar palm fibres and their biocomposites, this paper also addresses recent advances in research into the development of new biodegradable polymers derived from sugar palm starch. Fibre surface treatment, product development, and efforts to enhance the properties of sugar palm fibre composites are also considered.

Melting of multipass surface tracks in steel incorporating titanium carbide powders

Abstract Overlapping tracks were processed by melting preplaced titanium carbide (TiC) powder on steel surfaces using a tungsten inert gas torch. The tracks produced ∼1·0 mm melt depth free from cracks, but occasional pores were observed. The microstructure consisted of unmelted and partially melted TiC particulates together with reprecipitated TiC particles, which were prominent in tracks processed in the initial stage. A greater number of reprecipitated globular and cubic TiC particles were observed in tracks processed in the later stages, indicating more dissolution of TiC particulates from the overlapping operation. Those multitracks processed in the initial stage developed a maximum hardness of 850–1000 HV, which was lower in most other tracks, although comparable hardness values were recorded in the last track.