Uso de polímeros reciclados y convencionales como modificadores de las propiedades reológicas de grasas lubricantes

Abstract

This Thesis has studied the feasibility of the use of recycled and conventional thermoplastic materials as additives or thickener agents for new formulations of lubricating greases. The first part is focussed on the method of addition of the polymer during the manufacture of lubricating greases, as well as the possibility of using either conventional or recycled polymer from industrial waste as modifiers of the rheological properties of lithium lubricating greases. The polymers used in this study were: high density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), copolymer ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polystyrene (PS). In the second part, the effect of composition on the rheological properties of lithium lubricating greases modified with conventional and recycled LDPE and the thermorheological behaviour of lubricating greases modified with recycled polymer have been studied. The last part of this Thesis deals with the study of the main variables that affect the manufacture process of lubricating grease using as a thickener agent recycled and conventional polymers. In general, in this research work we have analyzed the microstructure, rheological and mechanical properties of lithium lubricating greases modified with polymeric materials in order to investigate the ability of its application.