CH701841B1 - Lubricating solution, useful for applying lubricant film on surface of component, comprises ethanol, surfactant, sodium triphosphate, ion exchanger, polycarboxylate, organic compound able to produce photosynthesis reaction and chlorophyll - Google Patents

Abstract

Aqueous lubricating solution comprises: ethanol; surfactant; sodium triphosphate; ion exchanger; polycarboxylate; an organic compound capable of producing photosynthesis reaction when irradiated by a light source; and chlorophyll. Independent claims are included for: (1) a process of applying a lubricating film on the surface of a metal part using the lubricating solution comprising: irradiating the lubricating solution with a light source; injecting carbon dioxide into the lubricating solution; and applying the lubricating solution on the component to cover the part of the lubricating film; and (2) a device for carrying out the process for applying lubricant film comprising: a tank to contain the lubricating solution; a lamp comprising the light source and a pipe for feeding and injecting carbon dioxide into the lubricating solution.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a lubricating solution for the surface treatment of metals. The invention also relates to a method of applying a lubricating film to the surface of a metal part using said solution.

State of the art

[0002] The known lubricating solutions are generally based on oils and / or greases and require, after lubrication, a cleaning step. This stage is carried out by degreasing products which are generally based on hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), methylene chloride, perchlorethylene and trichlorethylene.

[0003] Solutions have been proposed to limit the pollution due to degreasing products. They are based on improved treatment and recycling of wastewater or degreasing products that are less aggressive for the environment. For example, the company MMCC, France, proposes a "biosane" azeotropic degreasing fluid free of the aggressive compounds above.

Brief summary of the invention

The present invention provides a lubricating solution free of known limitations.

According to the invention, an aqueous lubricating solution for the application of a lubricating film to the surface of a workpiece comprises ethanol, a surfactant, sodium triphosphate, a sodium hydroxide exchanger, ion, a polycarboxylate, an initiator capable of producing a photosynthesis reaction when irradiated by a light source, and a photosynthesis stabilizer.

In one embodiment, the initiator is a compound based on vesicular fucus or cyanobacteria.

In another embodiment, the surfactant is alkyl benzene sulfonate.

The invention also relates to a method of applying a lubricant film to the surface of a metal part using the lubricating solution, and comprising the steps of: irradiating the lubrication solution with a light source; inject CO2 into the lubrication solution; and Apply the lubrication solution to the workpiece to coat the workpiece with the lubricating film. The lubricating solution of the invention is biodegradable. The process of applying the lubricating film is therefore harmless to the environment.

Example (s) of embodiment of the invention

In a preferred embodiment, an aqueous lubricating solution comprises ethanol, an amphoteric surfactant, sodium triphosphate, an ion exchanger, a polycarboxylate, a photosynthesis stabilizer, and an initiator. The lubricating solution is preferably diluted in demineralized water, and is intended for applying a lubricating film to the surface of a workpiece, as described below.

In one embodiment, the amphoteric surfactant is the alkyl-benzenesulfonate of chemical formula R-C6H4-SO3Na, where R = C10-C13. It is 90% biodegradable. Other surfactants may also be used as long as they are anionic under the conditions of use of the solution. The ion exchanger is zeolite (Na2OAl2O32SiO5) and the polycarboxylate is a fucus or chlorophyll enzyme.

The initiator is an organic compound capable of producing a photosynthesis reaction when irradiated with a suitable light source. For example, the initiator may be a compound based on vesicular fucus or cyanobacteria. Preferably, the compound is a spagyric essence of vesicular fucus, for example as commercially available from Phylak Sachsen, GmbH. The photosynthesis stabilizer is chlorophyll in solution, for example the product "chlorophyll solut aquosa 15%" commercially supplied by Hänseler AG can be used.

In a preferred embodiment, one liter of the lubricating solution contains 10 ml of ethanol, 200 ml / l of the surfactant, 10 ml / l of sodium triphosphate, 10 ml / l of the ion exchanger, 10 ml / l polycarboxylate, 50 ml / l photosynthesis stabilizer, 10 ml / l initiator, and 700 ml demineralized water. The lubricating solution may contain the above components in other concentrations so as to modify the lubricating properties of the film applied from the solution, as discussed below. A diluted lubrication solution is formed by diluting nine liters of the lubricating solution in thirty liters of demineralized water. The lubricating solution can also be diluted in other proportions.

In one embodiment, a system for applying a lubricating film comprises a container for containing the diluted solution, a lamp comprising the light source, and means for continuously feeding and injecting CO2 into the solution. diluted. For example, CO2 can be injected in the form of carbon dioxide into the solution using a pipe.

The lamp can be placed above the tray so as to irradiate the surface of the diluted solution. Preferably, the light source is a UV source capable of emitting UVA and / or UVB radiation. Preferably, the lamp is placed at a distance of 50 cm to 60 cm above the tray. However, the lamp can be placed at any other distance from the tank, insofar as the distance between the light source and the surface of the diluted solution as well as the intensity of irradiation of the light source makes it possible to initiate the reaction properly. photosynthesis with the initiator.

The action of the light emitted by the light source on the initiator (vesicular fucus and / or cyanobacteria) produces a photosynthesis reaction in the initiator. The bacteria are typically unicellular type saprophyte with diffuse nucleus. They are produced continuously by the principle of scissiparity fed by the action of light and CO2.

On a cyclohexane basis with four alcohol functions and an acid function substituted with five quinic acid hydrogen atoms, the photosynthesis reaction also generates monomethylamine, or fructose amines (CH3NH2). Monomethylamine is responsible for modifying the surface tension of the diluted solution. The presence of monomethylamine in the diluted solution has the effect of organizing the bacteria, generated by the combined action of photosynthesis, the injected CO2 and the polycarboxylate, into a colloidal suspension. The colloids formed have a size typically between one nanometer and one hundred nanometers and are negatively charged.

The stability of the colloidal solution is provided by the monomethylamine produced by the photosynthesis reaction and by the anionic surfactant. From the surfactant, several anionic and non-anionic alkyl radicals with a charge of between 30 and 15+ respectively are obtained. The injected CO2 allows self-regulation of the pH of the diluted solution, which retains a neutral pH. In this case, the amphoteric surfactant acts as an anionic surfactant and facilitates the miscibility of the colloids and facilitates the process of photosynthetic exchange. The ion exchanger disperses and suspends negatively charged colloids. Sodium triphosphate allows the dispersion of colloids in the aqueous solution, prevents the agglomeration of colloids.

In a method of applying a lubricating film on a metal part using the diluted solution, the light source is activated and the CO2 is injected into the diluted solution. The workpiece is immersed in the diluted solution. This operation makes it possible to coat the part with a lubricating film formed by the diluted solution. The CO2 injection stabilizes the acidity of the tank and homogenizes the diluted solution.

The thickness of the film coating the piece depends on the concentration of ethanol in the solution. For example, a 50 μm thick film at the surface of the workpiece can be obtained after immersion in the dilute solution formed from the lubricating solution comprising a concentration of 10 ml / l of ethanol. The thickness of the film decreases when the amount of ethanol is increased. In practice, the lubricating film applied to a thickness of between 0.5 μm and 50 μm.

Typically, the workpiece is immersed in the diluted solution before typing or work by removal of chips. Other methods of applying the dilute solution to the workpiece are also possible to form the lubricating film. For example, the diluted solution can be sprayed onto the part.

The sliding power of the lubricant film coated on the surface of the workpiece can be varied depending on the composition of the lubricating solution. For example, a lower concentration of ethanol in the dilute solution makes it possible to coat the part with a thicker lubricating film and, consequently, having a higher sliding power.

Tests have shown that the lubrication properties of the coated lubricant film on the surface of the workpiece remain unchanged until at least 72 hours after application of the film according to the application method described above. The film can therefore be applied several days before performing shaping operations of the part requiring lubrication.

An advantage of the lubricant film application method of the invention is that the degreasing step is no longer necessary. This not only saves time in a part manufacturing cycle, but also avoids the problems associated with the removal and / or treatment of often toxic degreasing products. Since the lubricating solution of the invention is itself highly biodegradable, the process for applying the lubricating film described here is therefore harmless to the environment.

Claims (13)

Aqueous lubrication solution for applying a lubricating film to the surface of a workpiece, comprising: ethanol, a surfactant, sodium triphosphate, an ion exchanger, a polycarboxylate, an organic compound capable of producing a photosynthesis reaction when irradiated by a light source, and chlorophyll. 2. The solution of claim 1, wherein said organic compound is a compound based on vesicular fucus or cyanobacteria. 3. The solution of claim 1 or 2, wherein the surfactant is alkyl benzene sulfonate. 4. The solution according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ion exchanger is zeolite. 5. The solution according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a liter of the lubricating solution comprises 10 ml of ethanol, 200 ml / l of the surfactant, 10 ml / l of sodium triphosphate, 10 ml / l of the ion exchanger, 10 ml / l of polycarboxylate, 50 ml / l of chlorophyll, 10 ml / l of the organic compound, and the balance of demineralized water. 6. A method of applying a lubricating film to the surface of a metal part using the lubricating solution characterized by one of claims 1 to 5, comprising the steps of: irradiating the lubrication solution with a light source; inject CO2 into the lubrication solution; and Apply the lubrication solution to the workpiece to coat the workpiece with the lubricating film. The process of claim 6, comprising an initial step of diluting nine liters of said lubricating solution in 30 liters of demineralized water. 8. The method of claim 6 or 7, wherein the lubricating solution is applied to the workpiece by immersing the workpiece in the lubricating solution. 9. The method of claims 6 or 7, wherein the lubricating solution is applied to the workpiece by vaporizing the lubrication solution on the workpiece. 10. The method according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the light source emits UVA radiation and / or UVB. 11. The method according to one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the CO2 injection is carried out in the form of carbon dioxide injection. 12. The method according to one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the lubricating film has a thickness between 0.5 microns and 50 microns. Apparatus for carrying out the method of applying a lubricating film characterized by one of claims 6 to 12 comprising: a bin for containing the lubrication solution; a lamp comprising the light source; and a pipe for supplying and injecting CO2 into the lubricating solution.