Effective polymerization of linear higher alpha olefins from refinery stream for lubricant application

Abstract

AbstractPolyalphaolefins (PAOs) have potential applications as synthetic lubricants in automotive, industrial, and aviation equipment, including motor oils, hydraulic, and transmission fluids. During the present work, the linear higher alpha olefins (LHAOs) ranging from C8 to C12 present in the refinery stream (RS) are polymerized using Lewis acid catalyst combination of transition metal halide of Group 4, that is, TiCl4 and Group 13 metal halide, that is, AlCl3. The influence of Ti:Al (1:1, 1.5:1, 1:2, and 2:1) molar ratios, polymerization time (2–8 h), and polymerization temperature (100–170°C) on the polymerization behavior of LHAOs were also investigated. The synthesized PAOs were characterized using different analytical techniques, including 1H‐13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The performance evaluation of PAOs was evaluated in terms of density, pour point, oxidation stability, thermal stability, kinematic viscosity (KV), viscosity index (VI), friction, and corrosion studies. The synthesized PAOs exhibit low pour point (<−30°C) and high VI (120–150), making them suitable synthetic lubricant for various applications.