Tribocarbonisation of a synthetic engine oil in lubricated piston ring/cylinder bore sliding contact and its relation to friction and wear

Abstract

AbstractTribocarbonisation of a fully formulated synthetic engine oil, an API SJ/SAE 5W‐30 containing an organic molybdenum friction modifier, was investigated in an Optimal SRV® tribotester, with a Mo‐coated piston ring and a cast iron cylinder bore tribopair in lubricated sliding contact and under stepwise heating conditions. The friction characteristics were determined by the friction coefficient curve which showed that two local minimum values occurred as the temperature increased stepwise. The local minimum friction coefficient at the lower temperature of 290°C was the result of the formation of MoS2 and MoO3, tribochemically generated by MoDTC and ZDTP. For the other local minimum friction coefficient at the higher temperature of 400°C, FT‐IR and Raman spectroscopic examinations of the worn tracks on the cylinder bore samples indicated that tribopyrolysis of the oil components and simultaneous polycondensation into carbonaceous species had occurred. Detailed Raman analyses showed that the carbonaceous species included a disordered phase and an ordered phase characterised, respectively, by the D‐line (1370 cm−1) and G‐line (1580 cm−1). The peak positions and sizes of the graphite crystallites involved varied according to temperature, and were related to the specific points on the friction coefficient versus temperature curve. Tribochemistry could enhance pyrolysis of the oil and facilitate the production of the carbonaceous species and growth of the graphite crystallites.