Structural mechanism of action of some additives to lubricant

Antiwear mechanism of action of some chemical elements added to lubricant is studied. These elements are transferred from the lubricant into the surface layers of the sliding pair during friction. The mechanism is based on the influence of these elements on the stacking fault energy (SFE) of the materials in the friction pair and leads to changes in the fragmented structure formed in the metals under plastic deformation. Work hardening of the metal surface layers and their predisposition to wear are changed accordingly. Copper and Armco iron, as typical FCC and BCC metals, were chosen for the friction pair materials. Si, Ni, Zn, Co and Ti were used as the additive components to the lubricant. It was found that the addition of different elements to the lubricant leads to alloying by these elements of the surface layers of the metal during the process of friction. It was found that alloying by elements which decreases the SFE of the metal, the average size of surface layer fragments formed during friction increases and the wear rate decreases. The possibility of controlling the wear resistance of metals during friction through the use of appropriate additives is discussed.