Einen großen Beitrag zur Gewichtseinsparung leistet die Substitution von Grauguss-Legierungen durch moderne Aluminiumlegierungen für Pkw Kurbelgehäuse. Zur Erhöhung der tribologischen und thermomechanischen Belastungsgrenzen von Aluminiumoberflächen kommen thermisch gespritzte Schichten in Frage. Zielsetzung nachfolgender Untersuchungen ist es außermotorisch unter Misch-/Grenzreibung das tribologische Potenzial von thermisch gespritzten keramischen Schichtwerkstoffen auf Basis der Stoffsysteme Cr2O3, Cr2O3/TiO2, Cr3C2/NiCr, TiO2, TiO2/Al2O3 im Vergleich zu aktuell serienmäßig eingesetzten Graugusswerkstoffen zu ermitteln. Die Oberflächentopographien und die Schmierstoffe determinieren gegenüber GG26Cr die Verschleißsenkungspotenziale der keramischen Schichten. Eine Reduzierung der Reibungszahlen wird nicht durch keramische Oberflächenbeschichtungen, sondern durch den Einsatz von Polyglykolen als Schmiermedium erzielt.
The use of alternative base oils, like esters or polyglycols, with more intrinsic properties for the lubrication of automobile engines has a potential for ecological and technical advantages. Being in competition with hydrocarbon-based formulations, detailed knowledge of several thermophysical and viscometric properties as well as tribological properties over a large temperature range are required (mapping). The tested polymer-free polyglycols and ester-based formulations displayed no visible tribological weaknesses regarding wear resistance and EP-behavior as well as offering significant advantages in order to meet metal- and ash-free and bio-no-tox criteria. Especially the formulated polyglycols without friction modifiers also showed an intrinsic retention of low coefficients of friction and a hydrodynamic film forming behavior comparable to hydrocarbon-based factory-fill oils. The wear resistance and EP-behavior of low-additivated polyglycols, but also of esters, can be enhanced by means of triboactive materials. Lubricious oxides or triboactive materials and polar base oils, or a combination thereof, may substitute the EP and AW properties realized by the additives, thus enabling long drains and responding to eco-tox or bio-no-tox requirements as well as restrictions from the chemical box.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users perceive 'Zero Wear' differently. The 'Zero Wear' approach will be put into a general relation for different applications and illuminated by individual paths, either based on monolithic materials, thin film coatings or alternative base oils, featuring triboactive materials and lubricious oxides for tribological engine components and dry running foil bearings or specific DLC, ta-C and novel Zirconium-based thin film coatings for concentrated contacts above FZG 14 and alternative engine oils (NoSAP & bio-no-tox). The associated tribometric test equipments for these examples will also be detailed.
Some of the properties intrinsically present in the backbone of polyalkylene glycols (PAGs), which have nowadays attracted the automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), are presented, such as bio-no-tox properties, heat capacity, extended drains, low friction, low AlSi-liner wear, fuel economy, and very high viscosity indices, and are achieved with metal-, ash-, and polymer-free formulations, which guarantee no adverse contamination of the lambda sensor and the active centers of the catalyzer as well as not to increase the exhaust back pressure of the particulate filter through ash deposits. This paper illuminates the latest results from OEM's engine bench and road testing supporting the following functional benefits: (a) bio-no-tox, (b) improvements of fuel economy, even when compared with latest hydrocarbon-based prototype oils, (c) reduced wear, (d) reduced engine friction, (e) extended drains, (f) suited for bio-fuels, (g) no adverse effects on after-treatment devices through ash-, metal-, and polymer-free formulations, etc.
The light-weight approach and fuel economy targets in today's automotive engineering require tribosystems, which can withstand higher contact pressures associated with low coefficients of friction. The application of high-performance coatings represents one approach among others. This paper presents some recently developed DLC coatings (a-C:H and ta-C) as well as a novel coating-substrate system (Zr(C,N)) in a benchmark test procedure under slip-rolling conditions in the presence of liquid lubricants. Various coatings with different thickness, interlayer and substrates were evaluated for their slip-rolling resistance in different lubricants at ambient temperature and at 120 °C. Results indicate that some of these coating systems can withstand at least 10 million cycles under initial Hertzian contact pressures of up to Pmax = 3.500 MPa and oil temperatures of at least 120 °C associated with low coefficients of friction under mixed/boundary conditions. Surface of the coatings and the counter bodies were analysed and compared with untreated substrates.
The research institution TEKNIKER has coordinated the EUROPEAN Project EREBIO, were different biodegradable lubricants have been formulated by FUCHS and BAM for heavy duty engines (GUASCOR), and passenger cars (RENAULT). In the frame of this article, it has been summarised the results obtained when developing biodegradable passenger car lubricants in combination with triboreactive materials.
Replacing hydrocarbon-based oils with biodegradable products is one of the ways to reduce adverse effects on the ecosystem caused by the use of lubricants. The application of low or no sulphur, ash and phosphorous (lowSAP) ester- or polyglycol-based oils, intended for passenger car engine lubricants as substitutes for hydrocarbon-based oils, required the preparation of a composition of lubricants with comparable tribological and functional properties.
The study is focussed on passenger car motor oils (PCMO) with reduced metal-organic additives. This is necessary in order to reduce the ash build-up in the after treatment system and therefore improve its efficiency and lifetime. High fuel efficiency and long drain intervals are requested, as well. To follow a line in a consequent way, these oils have to be biodegradable and non-toxic to the aqueous environment according to the directive EC/1999/45, coherent with other international standard. In a modern diesel or gasoline engine, the engine oils has to fulfil quite a number of different functions, such as lubricating and cooling the system, wear protection, soot and particle handling with less deposit tendency and so on.
In the paper a study of the biodegradability, toxicity and the tribological properties has been carried out for new developed prototype engine bio-oils. Also, some different plasma sprayed triboreactive coatings have been deposited on cast iron piston rings, being studied also their tribological properties. Finally, the behaviour of the new bio-oils selected and plasma sprayed triboreactive coatings on piston rings have been screened in a real engine.
The dilution of biogenic fuels into lubricating engine oils often leads to a shortening of the recommended oil drains (between 30% and 60%) and an increase in wear. The large number of overlapping and influencing factors, of which dilution and polymerization of fuel components in the engine oil are emphasised, makes it difficult to find a uniform solution to prevent failures in the various applications.
Insofar single solutions for the different types of biofuels are needed. The contribution of base oil chemistry and additives as well as triboactive materials is featured to deal with the adverse effects of biofuels. In the frame of the European Commission (EC)-funded project 'cleanengine', tentative engine oils based on esters with a content of renewables and polyglycols are formulated to increase the lubricant's tolerance in engines fuelled with biofuel-based blends, with the aim of ensuring required lubricating and wear protection performance while keeping oil drain intervals unchanged.
The present paper focuses on four-stroke diesel applications, fuelled by biodiesel (fatty acid methyl ester — FAME) as well as by rapeseed oil and Jatropha oil (pure vegetable oils, triglycerides), together with relevant blends of those biofuels and conventional diesel fuel.
This paper screens the functional profile (in particular rheological, toxicological, bio-compatibility, tribological and biofuels affinity) of lube families with respect to biofuel contamination. Moreover, this is followed by the contributions of piston ring and liner materials as well as thin film coatings.