Evaluation of Additive in Lubricants to Enhance Lubricant

Performance
Salmiah Kasolang1.a, Nor Syahirah Mohamad1.b
1

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Universiti Teknologi MARA (UITM),40 450

Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

Keywords :

Abstract
1.0

Introduction
Nowadays, worldwide attention on conserve of energy become necessary. In automobiles

sectors, efficiency on conserving energy are depend on fuel, cost and performance. However,
losses occurred in vehicles which lead to reduce the performance of engine. According to Vadiraj
(2012),common major losses occurring in the engine is frictional loss, which is about 15% of
total energy loss [1]. In order to reduce the friction losses between moving surfaces, lubricant act
as a thin film to protect the surfaces from being in contact. Additives play important role to
enhance the properties and performance of lubricants. Over a period of many years, additive in
lubricants were identified may settle down various of engine problems : corrosion inhibition,
ability to reduce wear by laying down a chemical film on heavily loaded surfaces and keep soot
from dispersed [2]. The additives for lubricants were used first during the 1920s, and keep
increased tremendously of their usage as an additive.
Lubricant and additive cannot be separated and have their own relationship. The principal
of lubricant is to extend the life longer of moving parts which operating under different
conditions such as speed, load, temperature and pressure. However, at low temperature condition
the lubricant is expected to flow smoothly to keep sufficient lubricant on moving parts. While at
high temperature, the lubricant functioning as to minimize wear process. In addition, the primary

purpose of the base fluid is to lubricate and act as a carrier of additives. The role of additives is
either to enhance an already-existing property of lubricant or to produce new properties on
lubricants. For instance, there are some already-existing properties such as viscosity, pour point
and resistance to oxidation process while new properties developed such as cleaning and able to
suspending, antiwear performance and corrosion control [2-4]. Normally, all types of lubricant
contain at least one additive while some lubricant contain several types of additives. The amount
of additive usage is around 30% or more [5]. Figure 1 below shows the typical composition of
some additives inside the property-brand lubricant.

Figure 1 : Typical additive package in motor oil ( Courtesy of Texaco, Inc. magazine)

2.0

Chronological History of Additives Developments

The developments of additive in industry applications has grown as a result of the higher
usage of lubricants. The performance of industrial lubricants have been improve better since the
late of 1930s. These development happened by numerous researchers in oil companies in order to
identify existence and evalution of additives. A chronology of of the development of several
additives is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 : Chronological History of Additive Developments

3.0

Classification of Additives

Additives are chemical compounds added to improve properties of lubricant. Besides

that, additive could be organic or inorganic compound. Additives may function by physical or
chemical interactions. Some additives remain essentially unchanged properties to the lubricant,
some enhance properties already existing while some act to reduce undesirable changes occurred
during its severe life. Table 3.1 below shows significant function of additives performed.

Lubricant Additive

impart new properties

to lubricant

suppress undesirable
lubricant properties

enhance existing
lubricant properties

anti-wear additive

viscosity index (VI)

improver

oxidation inhabitor

extreme pressure
additives

pour point depressant

foam inhibitor

tackiness additive

emulsifier

demulsifier

anti-corrosion additive
friction modifier

detergents

Figure 3.1 : Roles of Additives

Table 3.1 : Common Types of Additive

Additive
Explanation
Anti-oxidant Functions :
Control oxidative

Mechanism
Chemically interact with free radicals and
hydroperoxides to slow the chain reactions

decomposition of oil
Minimize oil thickening
Reduce sludge and

varnish formulation
Decrease formation of

which may result in formation of oxidation

of the base fluid.

corrosive compounds
Examples :
Organic: phenol, amines
Metal-containing: zinc
dithiophosphates (ZDP),
Anti-wear

molybdenum compounds
Function:

Reduce thin-film
Minimize Boundary wear

Adhere to metal surfaces by formation of a

protective film which shears preferentially
under wear process.

Examples:

Amine

phosphites
Phosphates

phosphates (ZDP)
Boron compounds
Sulfurized olefins

of

metal
or

thio-

Figure 3.1.1: Formation of zinc

dithiophosphate (ZDP) anti-wear film

Friction
modifiers

Functions:

The polar portion of the molecule absorb on

Reduce friction between the surface with the long hydrocarbon chains

moving surfaces
Increase lubricity of oil

to form film on the surface to reduce the

friction between moving surfaces.

Examples:

Antifoam

Fatty

polar functional group

Molybdenum compounds
Graphite

compounds

with

Functions:

Figure 3.1.2 : Formation of friction modifiers

film on metal contact surface
Minimize the surface tension of lubricant due

Prevents the formation of to bubbles to collapse.

stable foam
Prevent oil loss or oil
saturation which cause by

foaming
Reduce oil aeration

Examples:

Polydimethyl siloxanes
Polyacrylates
Silicon

Figure 3.1.3 : Mechanism of anti-foam

additives

Viscosity

Function:

modifiers

(VI)

It may changes physically and chemically.

Improve viscosity index By physically, it will changing form with

changes in temperature. While it can de

(VI)

depleted chemically by thermal or oxidative

Examples:

olefin breaking of bonds.

Non-polar

copolymers
Polar polymethacrylates

Figure 3.1.4 : Mechanism of viscosity

modifiers additives through physical
mechanism
Assists formation of smaller and rounded

Pour point Functions:

depressant

viscosity particles which are less likely to form

Reduce
increasing

at

low interlocking crystal.

temperature resulting from

wax crystallization
Examples:

Organic polymer

Figure 3.1.5 : Wax Crystal Morphology

Extremepressure

Functions:

React with metal to form a compound to act

Prevent

seizing

and as protective film. This layer more softer

increases

load-carrying than the metal itself. Hence, by extreme

capability

pressure conditions, the compound layer

wears first to protect the metal surface.

Examples:

Boron
Chlorine
Phosphorus

Figure 3.1.6 : Extreme-pressure additive

Anticorrosion

mechanism
Develop a film on non-ferrous metallic parts

Functions:

Protect surfaces against that resists attack by water.

chemical attack.

Examples:
Tackines

phosphorus
Functions:

The tendency of lubricant to migrate away

to improve cohesion of an from the surfaces that need lubrication

oil

depending on the lubricant viscosity and the

Examples:

geometry of the equipment. Hence, tackiness

diluents is necessary in maintaining contact between

combined with solubilized the lubricant and metal surface.

mineral

polymers.
vegetables based diluents

based

combined with solubilized

polymers.

Detergent

Functions:

Chemically

react

with

oxidation

Keep surfaces free from

products (gums) to ensure they

deposits

keep

remain soluble in the lubricant and do

contaminants dispersed in

not stick to metal surfaces.

Reaction between acid and metallic

and

lubricants.
Prevents
products

oxidation
(gums)

base.

which

formed in the oil from

sticking to metal parts.
Examples:

Dispersant

Sulfonate
Phenate
Carboxylate

Function:

Maintain

Additive absorbs on surface of gum particles

the

oxidation or soot and prevent agglomeration.

formation separated and

suspended in the oil.

Delays the formation of

sludge.
Reduces soot formation
which

related

to

increasing of viscosity.
Examples :

Magnesium
Calcium
barium

the

Demulsifier

Functions:
i.

Lowers the stability of emulsion.

Promote the separation in

lubricants which exposed
to water.

Examples:
Emulsifier

ii.
Functions:
iii.

Control interfacial tension and permits

Mixing of oil and water to intimate mixing of oil and water.

form a stable emulsion.

Examples:

4.0

Implementation of Nanotechnology in Lubrication Field

Nanotechnology is being concerned as the most revolution technology of the first 21 st

century. It may be used in many sectors of material science as a new technology. Currently, with
the development of nanomaterials numerous researchers added nanoparticles into base oil to
enhance extreme pressure, anti-wear and reducing friction properties and the performance and
machine life were improved and prolonged [6]. Furthermore, several papers have reported that
the addition of nanoparticles to lubricant may reduce the level of friction and wear [7-11]. By
using nanomaterials in the lubricant has their specific advantages [12]:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
vi)

Withstand load carrying capacity

High thermal stability
Ability to enhance heat transfer capacity
Reduces the friction and exhibit better wear-capacity
Ability to form stable chemical
Ability to resist from filters

The mechanism of nanoparticles deposition which act as a third body, reducing asperity
interactions and hence increasing the capacity of load carrying of the moving surfaces [13,14].
There are various types of nanoparticles were used to form nanolubricants such as polymers,

metal, organic and inorganic materials. According to Xue et al., several studies examine that
inorganic nanoparticles could be deposited on the contact pairs which improve the tribological
properties of the base oil [15]. In the other hand, their ability on stabilize characteristic made
them being concerned in the lubrication field [16]. Figure 4.1 below shows nanoparticles act as a
third body between moving surfaces. Thus, the addition of nanoparticle additives to the base oil
improved the base oil performance by deposition mechanism take place and displaying better
friction and wear reduction properties.

Figure 4.1 : Nanoparticles act as a third body between moving surfaces

4.1

Composition of Nanoparticles in Lubricant

Many researchers have attributed that nanoparticles additive

in base oil is

effectively reducing the rate of reduction of friction and wear. The friction-reduction and antiwear behavior are depend on the characteristics of nanoparticles such as size, shape,
concentration and weight percentage. The size of nanoparticles ranges mostly around 2 to 120
nm [17]. The presence of nanoparticles additives compared to microparticles additive in the base
oil, may increase the tribological performance of lubricant [7]. It also noted that nanoparticles
promotes better properties of adhesion and reduction of wear although only at concentrations
below 2% of weight percentage [15]. Copper oxide nanoparticles have been investigated by
some researchers in contect of their tribological and anti-wear additives [18,19]. Moreover,
copper nanoparticles also have received attention and exhibit excellent applications on better
friction and wear reduction [8,9,11]. Table 4.1 below shows some previous research on the
composition of additive in lubricant.

Table 4.1 : Previous research on composition of additive in lubricant

Year
2015

Author
Vijaykumar S.Patil

Additives
Copper oxide (CuO)

Sample preparation
Diameter (nm)
: 30 ~ 40

2015

Kaviyarasu T.

Copper (Cu)

Concentration (%) : 0.5 1.5

Diameter (nm)
: ~ 45

Ajinkya S.Pisal

Copper oxide (CuO)

Copper oxide (CuO)

Concentration (%) : 0.05 0.1

Diameter (nm)
: 25 ~ 55

2014
2014

Manu

Copper oxide (CuO)

Concentration (%) : 0.2 1.0

Diameter (nm)
: 30 ~ 150

2013

V.Thottackkad
Ehsan-o-llah

Copper oxide (CuO)

Concentration (%) : 0 0.6

Diameter (nm)
: ~100

Ettfaghi et al.

References

Concentration (%) : 0.1 0.5

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