Reduce engine friction: how friction modifiers minimize wear and loss?

About 1/3 of energy consumption is due to friction and wear, and the economic loss can reach over 100 billion yuan. Among all the engine parts, the piston assembly accounts for the largest share of friction losses, approaching 50%.

In order to reduce the connection between metals and reduce friction, it needs to add a friction modifier in engine oils.

Engines put a higher demand on fuel economy, which mainly has 2 ways: reducing the lubricant oils' viscosity. However, it only has limited anti-friction effect that depends on the low-viscosity base oils and viscosity index modifiers.

The 2 method is using engine oil friction modifiers (FM).

 

What are friction modifiers?

Friction modifiers (FM) is the substance than can reduce the friction coefficient.

FM is a lubricant additive that is often used under boundary and mixed lubricant conditions and forms a protective film through physical or chemical reaction on the friction surface. This is helpful to reduce the friction coefficient, improve lubricity, and energy efficiency.

 

The mechanism of friction modifiers

Friction modifiers (FM) have polar groups that have strong adhesion to metals. Through the polar groups adsorb tightly on the metal surface and form a protective film to separate metals and prevent the metals connection directly to reduce friction and wear.

Adsorption films can be divided into physical adsorption and chemical adsorption. Physical adsorption relies on the inter-molecular forces, and chemical adsorption mainly through chemical reaction to adsorb the friction modifier on the metal surface and achieve better adsorption performance.

 

The types of friction modifiers.

According to the oil-soluble degree, friction modifiers can be divided into oil-soluble friction modifiers and non-oil-soluble friction modifiers.

Oil-soluble friction modifiers mainly involve fatty acids, fatty acid esters, organic amine compounds, amide compounds, phosphorus-containing compounds, borate esters (or salts), and organic molybdenum compounds.

 

Molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC) and molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphate (MoDTP) are widely used as fuel-saving additives in internal combustion engine oils; they belong to the category of sulfur-free and phosphorus-free composite organic molybdenum friction modifiers. By reducing the friction coefficient and suppressing oil temperature rise, and leveraging their outstanding high-temperature performance, they enhance engine mechanical efficiency and minimize energy loss, thereby effectively reducing fuel consumption and improving fuel economy.

 

Non-oil-soluble friction modifiers-such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), graphite, tungsten disulfide (WS₂), and boron nitride (BN)-possess a layered crystal structure characterized by strong intra-layer atomic bonding and very weak inter-layer shear forces. During friction, minute relative sliding occurs between these layers, significantly reducing frictional resistance; these materials are commonly used in grease systems.

 

The application of friction modifiers in engine oils

In engine oils, friction modifiers are used to reduce the wear and friction within engines.

Chorus can provide you with an organomolybdenum friction modifier with excellent performance, such as anti-wear, extreme pressure, and antioxidant performance, which can increase internal combustion engine oils' loading capacity, improve mechanical efficiency, and reduce energy loss.

In engine oils and lubricant greases, friction modifiers can improve friction efficiency.

 

The comparison among MoDTP and other anti-wear additives.

 

The dosage of molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphate ranges from 0.2% to 3.0%, effectively reducing the friction coefficient across various temperatures; notably, the friction coefficient remains essentially constant as the temperature rises.

 

In addition to molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphate (MoDTP), we offer other high-performance friction modifiers. For instance, the oil-soluble friction modifier Mo-856 is sulfur- and phosphorus-free and exhibits excellent anti-wear and anti-oxidation properties, while molybdenum dialkyldithiocarbamate (MoDTC-525) delivers outstanding extreme-pressure and anti-wear performance in a wide range of applications, including engine oils, industrial oils, and greases.

 

Contact us for more information.