The importance of 2 per cent PTFE/FeF3 additives in engine fully formulated oil for reducing friction and wear under boundary lubrication condition

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to focus on the topics of phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) in engine oil. Very reproducible boundary lubrication tests were conducted as part of Design of Experiments software to study the behavior of fluorinated catalyst iron fluoride (FeF3) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in the development of environment-friendly (reduced P and S) anti-wear additives for future engine oil formulations. Multi-component fully formulated oils were used with and without the addition of PTFE and fluorinated catalyst to characterize and analyze their performance. Design/methodology/approach – A boundary lubrication protocol was used in the DOE tests to study their tribological behavior. Lubricant additives like PTFE and FeF3 catalyst were used at different concentrations to investigate the wear resistance and the time for a full breakdown under extreme loading conditions. Experiments indicated that new sub-micron FeF3 catalyst plays an important role in preventing the breakdown of the tribofilm. Findings – This paper explores the effect of PTFE and FeF3 catalyst on the performance of fully formulated engine oils. The purpose was to develop equations for minimum wear volume and maximum time for full breakdown. Emphasis was, therefore, given to conditions where the additives were working effectively for minimizing zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate (P per cent). Lubricating oils are normally multi-component additivated systems. They contain different additives such as viscosity improvers, detergents, dispersants and antioxidants. It is known that these additives interact at the surface, affecting the function of the lubricating oil. Therefore, it is important to note that the performance with PTFE and FeF3 catalyst was significantly improved when compared to fully formulated commercial oils used alone. Originality/value – Lubricating oils are normally multi-component additivated systems. They contain different additives such as viscosity improvers, detergents, dispersants and antioxidants. It is known that these additives interact at the surface, affecting the function of the lubricating oil. Therefore, it is important to note that the performance with PTFE and FeF3 catalyst was significantly improved when compared to fully formulated commercial oils used alone.