The Roles of Surfactant in Tribology Applications of Recent Technology: An overview

¹ Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Afe Babalola University, Ado, Nigeria
² Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2006, South Africa
³ Department of Geology, Afe Babalola University, Ado, Nigeria

^* corresponding author: dotunadetunla@yahoo.com

Abstract

In managing friction, wear, and lubricant qualities such as emulsification, demulsification, bio resistance, oxidation resistance, rust prevention, and corrosion resistance, surfactants play a crucial role in tribology. This is an important topic for the development of new materials and gadgets, particularly those created at the Nano-scale. The tribological characteristics of cutting fluids, lubricant performance in relation to steel surfaces, bio lubricants, and novel materials and approaches to friction and wear reduction will all be covered in this most recent edition. Numerous industries place a high priority on surface science and tribology. Almost all consumer and industrial products are manufactured and used with the aid of sophisticated surface and tribological knowledge. Amphiphilic molecules are those that function as surface-active agents or surfactants. Their tails are hydrophobic while their heads are polar, or hydrophilic. They are dispersible in both water and organic solvents. This article introduces surfactants’ nature and physical traits with a focus on their importance in modern science and technology. The primary property of surfactant molecules is the ability to self-assemble into micelles, which gives us a way to apply surfactants. The study of the surfactants results in a number of practical application areas, including food, health and personal care goods, biological systems, mineral and petroleum processing, and even nanotechnology. The organisms, food manufacturing, crop protection, personal care products, mineral and petroleum processing, and other practical application areas serve as examples of what these in turn give rise to a range of operational application domains.