A new insight into the interfacial mechanisms of the tribofilm formed by zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate

Understanding the true interfacial mechanisms involved in the growth of tribofilms generated by Zinc Dialkyl Dithiophosphate (ZDDP) is important because it is the most widely used anti-wear additive and there is legislative pressure to find efficient environmentally-friendly replacements. The main focus of this study is to investigate the durability of the ZDDP tribofilm and correlate it to the chemical and physical properties of the glassy polyphosphates. A novel experimental method has been developed to study the effect of lubricant temperature and contact load on tribofilm growth and durability. Results show that physical parameters such as temperature and pressure significantly influence the tribofilm durability. XPS analyses were carried out before suspending the test and after changing the oil to assess the difference in chemical structure of the tribofilm before and after stopping the test. The chemical analyses suggest that there are different chemical properties across the thickness of the tribofilm and these determine the durability characteristics.