Synthesis, characterization and tribological optimization of Boron compounds
Boron compounds as lubricant additives have received extensive attention in recent years, because they possess a good combination of properties such as wear resistance, friction reducing ability, oxidation inhibition, no ash and low pollution. On the other hand, dialkyldithiophosphates and dialkyldithiocarbamates of different metals have been used as multifunctional additives to lubricants for long time.
This project deals with development of new boron containing dialkyldithiophosphate or dialkyldithiophosphate additives for systematic tribological studies to investigate the combined effects of boron, sulphur, nitrogen and phosphorus.
Organic compounds containing phosphorus, sulphur and nitrogen have been used as additives in lubricants to minimize wear, reduce friction, improve efficiency and hence prolong the life of an engine. Under boundary lubrication conditions these additives undergo decomposition under extreme conditions (high load and high temperature) forming a protective tribofilm through the adsorption process. The thin layer prevents direct metal-metal contact, welding of surface asperities and thus reduces adhesive wear.
The efficiency of the additives depends on the ability to form a protective film on sliding contacts. This ability is related to their action mechanism, namely physical adsorption, chemisorption or chemical reaction with the metal surface. Their performance depends on the polarity due to a functional group, quantity of chemically active elements, the activity of the decomposition products and the chemical activity of the metal surfaces.
The boron additives react with the metal surfaces charged by sliding and leads to the formation of a thick borate tribofilm chemically bonded to the surfaces. These tribofilms are harder than steel and are ideal for boundary lubrication because of their good mechanical properties and strong adhesion to the metal surfaces operating at elevated temperature. Boron additives containing nitrogen can form boron nitride (BN) on metal surfaces; the hardness of BN is second only to diamond.
Goal
The main goals of this project are:
(i) To synthesize new Boron compounds, which can be used as additives to lubricants improving their properties compared to additives, which already exists.
(ii) To characterize these new additives using Thermal analysis (TG/DTG and DTA). FT-IR and FT-RAMAN spectroscopy and multinuclear 1H, 13C, 31P and 11B NMR spectroscopy.
(iii) To incorporate the additives into oils using the standard methods and to perform tribological tests on these samples.
(iv) Tribochemical analysis of surfaces using scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); FT-IR- and Raman spectroscopy.
PhD Faiz Ullah Shah
Prof Oleg Antzutkin, supervisor
Dr Sergei Glavatskikh, supervisor
Dr Mats Lindberg
Contact
Oleg Antzutkin
- Professor and Head of Subject
- 0920-492524
- oleg.antzutkin@ltu.se
- Oleg Antzutkin
Faiz Ullah Shah
- Professor
- 0920-491291
- faiz.ullah@ltu.se
- Faiz Ullah Shah
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