Esterification of Hydrogenated Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene as a High-Performance Lubricating Oil

Lubricating oils have been widely used to reduce the friction and energy consumption in mechanical drive systems. Here, a novel high-performance lubricating oil was developed by the esterification of the hydrogenated hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HHTPB). Owing to the unique chemical structure, it possessed the advantages of both the poly-α-olefins (PAOs) such as high chemical stability, low pour point, high viscosity index, and low evaporation loss and the synthetic esters such as good film formation property and excellent boundary lubrication properties. As a lubricating oil without any additive, the HHTPB isooctanoate exhibited ultralow friction and excellent wear-reduction performance, making it a promising candidate for practical applications.