Government scientists have developed an eco-friendly lubricant that improves efficiency and environmental sustainability. By integrating surface-modified graphitic carbon nitride (gC3N4) into biobased castor oil, researchers from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology in Guwahati have created a formulation with superior performance capabilities compared to conventional oil-based lubricants. This innovation reduces friction and wear by up to 54% and decreases the volume of wear by 60%, while also enhancing load-bearing capacity and thermal stability, offering an oxidation onset temperature increase from 320°C to 339°C. Toxicity assessments confirm minimal free radical formation, ensuring environmental safety for all applications without compromising on mechanical performance or conformity with global green lubrication standards.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Science Technology: Government ministry responsible for science and technology initiatives.
09 MAY 2025: Date of the press release.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi, the source of the press release.
Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology IASST, Guwahati: Research institute where the lubricant formulation was developed.
Department of Science and Technology: Government department affiliated with IASST, Guwahati.
graphitic carbon nitride gC N 3 4: Material integrated into bio-based castor oil for the lubricant formulation.
castor oil: Bio-based oil used as a base for the lubricant formulation.
Prof. Devasish Chowdhury: Lead researcher of the group that developed the lubricant.
Ujjibit Boruah: Researcher involved in the lubricant development; Inspire JRF.
Bitupan Mohan: Researcher involved in the lubricant development; UGC JRF.
Dr. Nabajit Dev Choudhury: Researcher from ASTU involved in the lubricant development.
ASTU: Affiliation of Dr. Nabajit Dev Choudhury; exact meaning not specified.
octadecyltrichlorosilane OTCS: Chemical used to modify the gC N nanosheets.
ACS Applied Nano Materials: Journal where the findings were published.
NKRPSM Release ID: 2127947: Release identification number.
Ministry of Science & Technology
Researchers develop eco-friendly lubricant with
superior performance
Posted On: 09 MAY 2025 6:05PM by PIB Delhi
Scientists have developed an environmentally friendly lubricant formulation that significantly enhances
friction reduction, wear resistance, and overall performance. This advancement offers a sustainable alternative
to conventional lubricants, addressing both efficiency and environmental concerns.
Lubrication reduces friction and wear in machinery, ensuring efficiency and longevity. Conventional
mineral or synthetic oil-based lubricants pose environmental risks, driving the demand for
sustainable alternatives.
In order to address this issue, researchers at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and
Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology,
formulated a lubricant formulation by integrating surface-modified graphitic carbon nitride (g-C N )
3 4
into bio-based castor oil.
Fig: Schematic illustration of Surface-Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride as a High-Performance Additive in
Bio-Based Oils
The group led by Prof. Devasish Chowdhury, along with Ujjibit Boruah, Inspire JRF, Bitupan Mohan, UGC-
JRF and Dr. Nabajit Dev Choudhury from ASTU enhanced the compatibility of the lubricant with the oil by
chemically modifying the g-C N nanosheets using octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTCS), resulting in improved
3 4
dispersibility and stability.
Study of friction, lubrication, and wear of interacting surfaces in relative motion (tribological
evaluations) demonstrated remarkable improvements—reduction of friction by around 54 %, and
decrease of wear volume by 60.02% compared to castor oil alone. The lubricant also exhibited a
higher load-bearing capacity and greater thermal stability, with the oxidation onset temperature
rising from 320°C to 339°C demonstrating the efficiency of developed lubricating formulation.
Furthermore, toxicity assessments confirm minimal formation of free radicals (more generation of
free radical will lead to further secondary reactions) making the formulation safe for environmentally
sensitive applications.“This sustainable lubricant formulation not only enhances mechanical performance but also aligns
with global efforts toward green and efficient lubrication technologies,” said Prof. Chowdhury. The
findings were recently published in ACS Applied Nano Materials.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2127947)