Ionic Liquids in Tribology

Dear Colleagues,

In lubricated tribological applications, there is always a drive to reduce emissions, increase durability, and increase service intervals. To increase energy efficiency, there is also a need to reduce friction while maintaining, or even reducing, oil viscosity. If we are to meet these challenges, new lubricants and lubricant additives must be developed.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a sub-class of organic salts with the arbitrary property of having a melting point below 100 °C. Liquid ILs can posses a number of useful properties, such as low volatility, non-flammability, thermal stability, broad electrochemical window, ionic conductivity and miscibility with organic compounds. At this time, ILs have predominately been used as ‘green’ solvents, but are also being investigated as possible electrolytes for batteries, as corrosion inhibitors and in tribological applications.

Ionic liquids were first proposed as lubricants in 2001, and, since that time, the number of publications has increased steadily. For use as lubricants, the low volatility, low flammability and thermal stability of ILs mean they can safely withstand the increased temperatures and pressures involved. Additionally, due to the vast array of possible anions and cations to choose from, a ‘task-specific’ IL can be designed to possess the exact properties required for lubricant applications, such as the ability to migrate and adsorb to the surface, react with the surface to form a protective tribofilm and/or be miscible in a particular base oil. Researchers initially used ILs that were easily available, but, as the area becomes more mature, the structural requirements for properties, such as miscibility in base oil or the ability to form a protective tribofilm are being discovered. This has resulted in a new phase of research in which new ILs are being designed specifically with lubricant applications in mind. This Special Issue, "Ionic Liquids in Tribology" is aimed at such current developments in ILs for tribological applications.

Dr. Anthony E. Somers
Guest Editor

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