Online lubricant degradation monitoring using contact charging of polymers

Lubrication of machine parts is necessary to prevent friction and wear in operation. However, oxidation lubricants upon operation changes their chemical physical properties causes lubrication performance deteriorate. Besides, one liter wasted/used lubricant oil can contaminate a million liters water. Current methods for the timely detection deterioration lack practicality. Here we show simple, triboelectrification-based method degradation monitoring, which be monitored by contact charging (and separation) signals oil-dipped cellulose common polymer tapped each other. The commercial base samples are oxidized at 100–200 °C up 80 h, simultaneously ATR-FTIR triboelectric method. results that 40–90% decrease open-circuit potentials presence directly indicate start without other accompanying analyses.