A Shear-Dependent Investigation of Organic Friction Modifier Films at the Iron Oxide/Oil interface

Lubrication ensures the reliable operation of combustion engines whilst also offering a reduction in emissions and fuel consumption. Organic friction modifiers (OFMs) are a common class of friction-reducing additives included in engine lubricants, and are known to adsorb at metal surfaces. However, the exact mechanism by which they operate has yet to be defined. To understand how these additives function at elevated temperatures and under shear, a novel tribometer rig has been developed. In this experiment, the structure of co-adsorbed films of the OFMs oleic acid/ stearyldiethanolamine and oleic acid/glycerol monooleate will be investigated at the iron oxide-dodecane interface using sheared neutron reflectivity. We will characterise the interfacial composition of the competitive, mixed OFM systems as a function of shear rate and temperature.