Epoxy-glass fibre composite splash ring suppresses metal-derived lubricant contamination in splash lubrication systems

Abstract

Metallic components used in splash-lubricated mechanical systems can generate wear debris that accelerates lubricant degradation and contaminates the oil. In this work, a fibre-reinforced epoxy-glass composite splash ring was developed as a non-metallic alternative to a conventional brass component. The composite ring was fabricated and evaluated in a laboratory lubrication rig operating at 3000 rpm for long-duration tests up to 1000 h. Oil samples were analysed using atomic absorption spectrometry, total acid number measurements, and gravimetric wear analysis, while surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The composite component eliminated detectable Cu and Zn contamination in the lubricant and reduced oil oxidation, while increasing oil flow rate by approximately 66% compared with the brass reference component. The improved performance is attributed to the chemical inertness and favourable tribological behaviour of the epoxy-glass composite, which suppresses metalcatalysed oxidation reactions and reduces wear particle generation. These results demonstrate that fibre-reinforced polymer composites can provide an effective materials-based strategy for mitigating lubricant contamination and improving the operational reliability of splash-lubricated systems.