Copolymerization of Vegetable Oils with Isodecyl Acrylate for Greener Lubricant Additives: Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance Evaluation

Abstract

Vegetable oil-based greener additives have recently garnered much attention due to their biocompatibility and enhanced multifunctional performance compared to conventional additives. This article investigates the performance of polymeric additives prepared from isodecyl acrylate and various vegetable oils, including soybean oil (SBO), sunflower oil (SFO), and rice bran oil (RBO). The study showed that copolymers increased the viscosity index by up to 83.5%, with P-5 (10% SFO) demonstrating the greatest improvement, while P-3 (10% SBO) achieved a pour point depression of -22°C, significantly outperforming the homopolymer of isodecyl acrylate (IDA). The structures of the prepared polymers were investigated using FT-IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques. The molecular weights of the polymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography. The performance properties of the prepared polymeric additives were evaluated as pour-point depressants and viscosity index improvers in accordance with ASTM standards in 150N base oil. The thermal stability of the polymers was studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The study revealed that the performance of the copolymers of isodecyl acrylate with different oils as viscosity index improvers (VII) and pour point depressants (PPD) was significantly superior to that of the homopolymers of isodecyl acrylate. The study shows that integrating vegetable oils is an effective strategy for enhancing the multifunctional performance of lubricant additives.