Effect of friction modifier on durability and fuel

economy/frictional characteristics of engine oil

Anand Prakash Gupta, Amitava Pal, Seema Thakoor, Debashis Ganguli

Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd.,

R&D Centre, A-Installation, Sewree (E) Mumbai
ABSTRACT

This study evaluates the effect of lubricant formulations on the frictional characteristics and the durability
of the engine oil, formulated with and without friction modifiers.
This paper also describes the evaluation and comparison method to study the effect of friction modifiers
on the friction reduction characteristics of engine oil without sacrificing the durability i.e. the viscosity &
HTHS, which indicates oils capability for engine protection.

INTRODUCTION We have analyzed the effect of Molybdenum

Engine oil development continues to undergo a
period of dramatic change as the result of three
factors: changing emissions legislation,
increased fuel economy requirements and the
need to maintain durability under severe
operating conditions. It is expected that the need
for engine oils to deliver even greater levels of
fuel economy improvement may have the single
greatest impact on the type of engine oil that is
used in future.
This has led the move to lighter viscosity grades,
the use of low HTHS engine oils and the
introduction of new friction modifier technologies.
However, the use of thinner lubricants increases
the risk of engine wear unless appropriate
additives are simultaneously deployed in the
formulations.
based friction modifier on friction characteristics
without affecting viscosity & HTHS of the engine
oil in both the scenarios and comparing it with
engine oil with proven fuel economy benefits on
chassis dynamometer test in lab condition.
Automatic Kinematic viscometer & HTHS
equipments are used to measure the kinematic
viscosity & HTHS values of the test oil
candidates. HFRR and EHD test apparatus are
proposed to evaluate the frictional properties of
the oil candidates, due to its ability to measure
the frictional properties accurately and widely
use of these test equipments in research and
industrial laboratories.
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD

In this study, we have created two scenarios: Test oil candidates- table 1 summarizes the
1) The contact point is above the oil level (Fig properties of the test oils used in this study. Ref
1) and the rotating ball is carrying the oil oil is commercial oil, oil-C is commercial oil with
between ball and disc contact point. It proven fuel economy and rest B &C are the test
means test oil is readily not available at the oil candidates.
contact point
2)In other scenario, the test oil is readily
available at the contact point. i.e. contact
point is completely dipped inside test oil (Fig
2)
 Table 1: Properties of the test oil candidates
Reference oil
Oil candidate code (Ref oil) A B C
SAE Grade 15W-40 10W-40 10W-40 10W-30
Oil Performance API CI-4
Performance additive D1 D1 D1 D2
Friction Modifier No No Yes No
Molybdenum, ppm <10 <10 681 <10
Kinematic Viscosity@40°C, cSt 108.1 97.5 97.6 77.4
Kinematic Viscosity@100°C,
14.6 14.4 14.3 11.4
cSt
HTHS, 150°C, cP 4.3 4.1 4.0 3.6
Base oil API Group II

FRICTION TEST Table 3: Contact pressure with load in EHD

friction assembly
The EHD friction test assembly shown in figure 1 Load 40N 20N
and HFRR test assembly shown in figure 2 is
used to measures the friction characteristics. The Hertzian contact pressure 1.0 Gpa 0.79 Gpa
test evaluation conditions for these assemblies
are shown in table 2 and table 4. Table 3
explains the contact pressure generated due to Figure 2: HFRR test assembly
load applied to the ball in EHD friction test
assembly. These contact pressure are similar to Load
Oil
the pressure generally found in modern diesel
engine. Ball motion
Figure 1: EHD Friction test assembly
Disk Table 4: HFRR test conditions
Parameters Condition1 Condition2
Load, g 1000 1000
Amplitude, mm 1.0 1.0
Oil Level
Ball Frequency, Hz 60 60
Load Temperature,
°C 100 140
Oil sample, ml 2
Table 2: EHD Friction test assembly conditions
Contact
Parameters Condition1 Condition2 Condition3 Pressure 1.3 Gpa
Load, N 20 20 40
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Temperature,
°C 100 140 140
HFRR TEST STUDY: In HFRR test assembly,
Speed, mm/s 2000 - 1 2000 - 1 2000 - 1 plate is mounted on a stationary rectangular
Slide to roll block and completely dipped in oil. Ball is
ratio (SRR), mounted on a cantilever shaft which reciprocates
% 100 100 200 and load is applied on the ball shaft. The contact
Oil sample, pressure generated in these conditions is around
ml 125 125 125 1.3 Gpa. The fiction coefficient (COF) in HFRR
study at 100°C (condition1) obtained for all the
oil candidate oils is shown in figure 3. It was
found that COF was pretty similar to for ref oil, A
and C. However, COF for the oil B (10W-40) was
significantly lower that oil C (10W-30), which has
lower viscometry indicating that reduction in COF
was due to friction modifier.
Figure 3: Coefficient of friction in HFRR at
condition1
Figure 4 shows the wear scar diameter (WSD) in
HFRR study at 100°C (condition1) for all the oil
candidate oils are comparable and within
repeatability limits of the test indicating no
adverse effect of friction modifier on the antiwear
property of oil.
Figure 4: wear scar diameter in HFRR at
condition1
As seen in figure 5, COF of all the oil candidates
at 140°C temperature has increased as
compared to the COF in HFRR test at 100°C due
to reduced viscosity at higher temperature.
However, COF of the oil B is still significantly
lower than ref oil & A oil. Also, COF of oil B is
lower than oil C, even though oil C has lower
viscosity (10W-30), & proven fuel economy
benefits, than oil B (10W-40). This implies that
friction modifier may have worked in synergy with
performance additive and helped in reducing the
frictional properties.
Figure 5: Coefficient of friction in HFRR at
condition2
Figure 6 shows the wear scar diameter (WSD) in
HFRR study at 140°C (condition2) for all the oil
candidate oils. WSD for ref oil and A oil is higher
than that of WSD at 100°C indicating reduction in
viscosity at higher temperature. However the
WSD for B oil is significantly smaller than oil A
indicates friction modifiers may have worked in
synergy with the performance additive and
helped in reducing the wear significantly. Also,
the WSD of the B oil and C oil is almost
comparable reiterates that the friction modifier
may have contributed in reduced wear.
Figure 6: wear scar diameter in HFRR at
condition2
HFRR study has shed some light on the effect of
the Molybdenum based friction modifier that
friction modifier can help in reducing the frictional
properties without reducing the HTHS i.e without
sacrificing the durability.
EHD FRICTION STUDY: As shown in figure 1,
In EHD test assembly, test ball is rested on 3 ball
bearings carriage assembly and connected to
independent rotor shaft to create different slide to
roll ratio. Ball is half dipped in to the oil and it
carries the oil into the contact surface, when
rotates. 3 ball bearings carriage assembly moves
up and down to apply the load. Plate is mounted
on the top of the ball and it is attached to
different rotor shaft. This arrangement creates
lubricant scarcity situation, which is generally the
case in mixed and boundary lubrication regimes.

Table 2 shows three different test conditions

were created to analyze the candidate oil
samples and study the frictional characteristics.
Load 20N and 40N were taken for study because
these loads generate approximate 0.79Gpa and
1.0Gpa contact pressure between ball and plate
and helps in creating mixed & boundary
lubrication conditions. In the boundary lubrication
region, surface metal-metal asperities contact
occurs and the bulk hydrodynamic forces Figure 7: Frictional characteristics of oils in EHD
separating these contacts are insufficient or not test under condition1
available. Friction modifiers reduce the
coefficient of friction by forming ordered
structures on metal surfaces through
chemisorptions, physisorptions or more complex
transitions.

As seen in figure 7 (condition1: 20N, 100°C &

100% SRR) & figure 8 (condition2: 20N, 140°C &
100% SRR) that all the four candidate oils have
almost similar frictional characteristics
respectively indicating friction modifier does not
have any adverse effect on the oil performance.
Even under high temperature condition (140°C)
& under scarce oil availability, all the oil
candidates have similar frictional behavior Figure 8: Frictional characteristics of oils in EHD
indicating the friction modifier does not have any test under condition2
adverse effect on oil performance and has
worked well with performance additive.
Figure 9 shows frictional characteristics oil A, B keeps the frictional forces in check reiterating
&C under condition3 (40N, 140°C, 200% SRR). that FM may have helped in reducing the
The effect of this molybdenum based friction frictional forces in boundary lubrication.
modifier (FM) on friction reduction performance
is clearly visible in this scenario. Oil B, which
contains friction modifier has shown significant
reduction in frictional properties as compared to
oil A which is similar in formulation to oil B except
it doesn’t contain friction modifier. Also, it shows
oil B has slightly lower coefficient of friction
throughout the test speed range as compared to
oil c, which has proven fuel economy benefits
indicating the FM may have played a role in
reducing the friction.
Again, it is visible that at lower speed, where
boundary conditions prevails. Oil A and oil C
have crossed the equipment measurement limits
Figure 9: Frictional characteristics of oils in EHD
and the test had to be terminated at lower speed
test under condition3
indicating drastically increase in frictional forces
at lower speed. However, oil B has comfortably
CONCLUSION
Frictional characteristic of the oils was
investigated by means of test rigs such as HFRR
& EHD test assembly creating both the scenarios
as mentioned earlier. The conclusions are
summarized as under:
 In HFRR study, where the contact point
is completely dipped in the test oil, the
effect of friction modifier (FM) on
frictional and wear characteristics of
engine oil is evaluated. The study has
demonstrated the reduction in frictional
properties in both the test conditions for
oil B & coefficient of friction for oil B is
less than oil C, which has proven fuel
economy benefits indicating that FM can
play a role in providing the fuel economy
benefits without changing the viscosity
and HTHS i.e. the durability of the oil
 As the wear scar diameter for oil B in
condition 1 of HFRR test is similar to the
oil A and oil C indicates that FM does
not have any adverse effect on the
performance additive in both test
conditions
 However, the wear scar diameter for oil
B in condition 2 (which is more severe
that condition 1)of HFRR test is less
than that of oil A indicating the
synergistic effect of FM and
performance additive. It can also be
noted that wear scar diameter of test
candidates are more than respective
wear scar diameter in condition 1, which
may be due to reduction in viscosity at
higher temperature leading to severe
boundary condition
 EHD study, where the contact point is
above the oil level and rotating ball was
carrying the oil, has also able to screen
the effect of FM on frictional
characteristics of engine oil precisely. It
has also helped in studying the behavior
of oil in various lubricating regime and
effect of frictional modifier on reducing
the frictional characteristics of oil
formulation
 Based on the EHD study, the FM is
more effective in mixed & boundary
lubricating regimes i.e. high load and
lower speed and can help in reducing
wear and tear during boundary & mixed
lubricating regimes such as wear during
the engine cranking after a long idling
period & cam & follower lubrication in
valve train setup
 FM can help in reducing the frictional
characteristics of oil without
compromising the Viscosity & HTHS
value of the formulated product i.e.
providing fuel economy benefits without
affecting the durability of the oil
REFERENCE
[1] Katsuya Arai, Michiya Yamada, Satoshi
Asano, Shigeyuki Yoshizawa, Hirobumi Ohira,
Kohkichi Hoshino, Fumio Ueda, Kenyu Akiyama,
“ Lubricant Technology to Enhance the Durability
of Low Friction Performance of Gasoline Engine
oils”, SAE 952533
[2] Neil Canter, Fuel economy, the role of friction
modifier and VI improvers, Tribology and
Lubrication Technology, September, 2013, p 14-
27
[3] Mike McCabe, The role of engine oil in
improving fuel economy, Lube Magazine no. 95,
February 2010, p 28 - 29
[4] Boris Zhmud, Pursuit for better fuel economy,
The Vehicle Component, 5 / 2012, p 18 - 21