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Grigor Bantchev

Research Physical Scientist

 

 

Grigor B. Bantchev, Ph.D.

Phone: (309) 681-6239 
Room 3201
USDA ARS NCAUR
Bio-Oils Research
1815 N University St.
Peoria IL 61604

Grigor.Bantchev@USDA.gov

(ORCID 0000-0003-2790-5195)

Grigor B. Bantchev, Ph.D

♦ Research Physical Scientist with a PhD in physical chemistry

♦ Enable novel and cost-competitive biobased products with unique structures for applications in multiple industrial sectors 
     Thioether functionalized vegetable oils (TF VO) 
     Lubricants with improved cold flow, antioxidants, heavy-metal ion removing agents
     Biobased phosphonates

♦ Investigate functional properties of novel biobased structures for lubrication, remediation, surfactant/detergent, polymers and other applications; apply structure-property models to optimize the chemical structures for multi-functional application

/ARSUserFiles/41307/Bantchev-Measuring.jpg
Measuring lubricating film thickness

/ARSUserFiles/41307/Bantchev-synthesis.pngSyntheses and chemical formulas of:
TF VO(left) and biobased phosphonates(right)

Research on Bio-Based Lubricants

Synthesized TF Vegetable Oils and biobased phosphonates as base oil lubricants and lubricant additives

Tested physical and lubrication properties:
o Anti-wear and anti-friction
o Extreme pressure
o Pour and Cloud Points
o Viscosity and Viscosity Index
o Lubricating film thickness; Pressure-viscosity index
o Oxidative Stability - PDSC

Structure-Property relationship

/ARSUserFiles/41307/Bantchev-RPVOT.pngRotating pressurized vessel oxidation time (RPVOT) of Thioether-functionalized vegetable oils (TF VO) is improved significantly, compared to the starting vegetable oils

/ARSUserFiles/41307/Bantchev-AntiWear.pngA biobased phosphonate, at 5% addition, was more effective antiwear additive than the commercial ZDDP. 

/ARSUserFiles/41307/Bantchev-SPR.png

Improved Structure-Property Relationship (SPR):

/ARSUserFiles/41307/Bantchev-estolide.png

⊗ Successfully correlated the dynamic viscosity (in mPa∙s) of estolide esters as a function of the absolute temperature (T) and the number-average molecular weight (Mn):
⊗ ln⁡(η) =(5.49x10^(-4) Mn-2.07)+(1018 ln⁡(Mn)-787)exp⁡(394/T)/T 
⊗ The relationship describes the viscosities of estolides as a function of temperature better than literature SPRs (figure on the left)

⊗ Bantchev & Cermak 2022 Fuel 309:122190

BIO:

Grigor Bantchev is a chemist and physical scientist. He received his Master of Science (1993) from University of Sofia (Bulgaria) and his PhD (2003) from Tulane University.  He did postdoctoral work at Louisiana State University and Louisiana Tech University until he joined the NCAUR in 2007, where he works in the Bio-Oils research group. His research is mostly focused on the production of biobased lubricants from agricultural biomass and the testing of these lubricants as renewable, biodegradable replacements for petroleum-based materials. He synthesized several biobased phosphonates and thioethers as potential lubricants or lubricant additives. The biobased thioethers also showed good potential for heavy-metal removal from contaminated water. 

 Click to Access my publications.

 

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