Tribofilms: aspects of formation, stability and removal

There has been much attention paid to the lubricant additives zinc dialkyldithiphosphate and molybdenum dialkyldithiocarbamate as the most commonly used antiwear/antioxidant and friction modifiers. The mechanism by which they function has been the subject of much research work. As a result of these efforts the tribofilms formed from the above additives are fully chemically characterized but understanding the physical properties and the dynamics of their formation, stability and removal is still not satisfactory and needs more research. This paper reviews the general characteristics of tribofilms formed from these additives in single component systems and also on their interactions as well as the current understanding of the dynamics of their formation. Experimental work is then presented alongside discussion of the literature to present a current status of understanding of the stability and the removal of tribofilms. The effect of temperature and additive interactions on the thickness of the steady state tribofilms, and consequently the effect on friction performance, is evaluated. The results of this study show that temperature and additive interactions play a significant role on the dynamic process of tribofilm formation as well as its chemical properties. This study also highlights the areas in which further development is needed to ensure progress in understanding of the tribofilm's formation and removal processes.