Film Formation Properties of Polymers in the Presence of Abrasive Contaminants

Emission requirements for all vehicles have become increasingly more stringent. Diesel engine design changes required to meet emissions requirements result in increased levels of soot in the lubricant. This increased level of soot causes increased wear when oils are not properly formulated. Recent studies have shown that the primary cause of wear in the crossheads of Cummins M-11 and M-11/EGR engines is the abrasive nature of primary soot particles. In addition, it has also been shown that oils, which form films that are thicker than the size of primary soot particles can prevent abrasive wear. Dispersants and dispersant-polymers are known to prevent wear in the presence of soot. The goal of this study is to better understand the role of dispersants and functionalized polymers on the prevention of wear by examining their ability to form films in the presence of abrasive contaminants. The film formation properties of polymers will be compared to their ability to prevent soot aggregation in an attempt to determine if these properties are interrelated.