Competitive adsorption of stearyldiethanolamine and oleic acid at the iron oxide-dodecane interface

Reducing friction between moving components in engines minimises the fuel consumption and the resulting emissions of gasoline vehicles. The lubrication of sliding surfaces can be improved by the inclusion of organic friction modifier (OFM) additives in engine oils, which adsorb at the engine surfaces and form films that reduce friction. However, their behaviour in the presence of other lubricant additives is poorly understood. In this experiment, the structure of co-adsorbed films of oleic acid and stearyldiethanolamine at the iron oxide-dodecane interface will be investigated using polarised neutron reflectometry. We will characterise the interfacial composition of the OFMs at the interface as a function of the order of introduction to the interface, oleic acid concentration and temperature.