The Effect of Functionalized Alkyl Chain Modification on Lubricant Performance and Its Action Mechanism

ABSTRACT Lubricants can significantly improve the processing properties of ABS. Although ethylene bis‐stearamide (EBA) is a commonly used lubricant for ABS resin, its lubricating properties remain inadequate. This limited the application of ABS resins in the field of thin‐walled products. In this study, bis‐oleic acid amides (EBO) and bis‐12‐hydroxyoctadecanoic acid amides (EBH) were identified as more efficient lubricants for ABS resins. EBO and EBH were prepared by amidation of ethylenediamine and fatty acids. The melt flow rates (MFRs) of EBH/ABS, EBO/ABS and EBA/ABS increased by 26%, 18.2%, and 14.4%, respectively, compared to pure ABS. The complex viscosity and glass transition temperature of modified ABS satisfied the following order: EBH/ABS < EBO/ABS < EBA/ABS. This indicated that both EBO and EBH exhibited superior lubricating performance compared to EBA, with EBH demonstrating particularly outstanding efficacy. Molecular simulation results revealed that this phenomenon was primarily attributed to the higher binding energy between EBO/EBH and the matrix, which consequently enhanced their compatibility. The hydroxyl group in EBH readily formed hydrogen‐bonding interactions with the matrix, effectively enhancing the mean square displacement of polymer chain segments and thereby improving its lubricating efficiency. This work paved the way for the adoption of ABS resin in high‐end domains and enabled a better understanding of the lubricant's structure–property correlations.