Avaliação da eficácia de lubrificante à base de óleo de Oiticica para redução do desgaste para correntes de bicicleta

Abstract

Bicycles have become increasingly widespread in Brazil and around the world, mainly because of their environmentally friendly relationship. It is estimated that there are more than 33 million units in Brazil alone. Currently, the vast majority of bicycles that exists use chains as their power transmission mechanism, due to their high efficiency and the possibility of arranging different speed levels. All chains will eventually lose their transmission capability, and this can occur in two predominant ways, which are: "open chain", or excessive elongation. The latter is responsible for more than 90% of cases. This elongation is mainly caused by wear between chain components, usually through abrasion. Therefore, the correct use of a lubricant can prolong the life of the chain and ensure greater liability for the cyclist. Chain lubricants are intended to reduce the power lost due to friction and also prevent premature wear. This work therefore aims to analyze the performance of a lubricant paste based on oiticica oil in terms of reducing wear compared to a commercial lubricant, Lube Cera. With tests carried out on a Reichert mechanism, using contact between crossed cylinders, it was possible to see that there is potential for working with fluids composed with oiticica oil that aim to reduce wear, since in this case the wear was 36% less than the one with the comercial lubricant.