Organic Friction Modifier Additives Help in Reducing Friction in Boundary Lubrication Regime
Friction modifier additives alter the friction between two materials. If we are to compare a typical friction material with oil, the oil will always remain parallel. This can be done by applying a lubricant like oil onto the surface of the metal or into a bore hole and it will remain parallel. The friction between the two will still remain constant. However, the amount of friction will vary depending on the material being used.
Organic
friction modifier additives are surfactant molecules added to engine oils to
reduce friction in the boundary lubrication regime. The friction between two
metals can also be affected by the material being used. Some metals are much
more slippery than others. For instance, the titanium and platinum friction
between two smooth rolled edges is much less than that between a polished alloy
of the same weight. The friction modifiers provide an extra friction between
the two materials. This way, they can be used in machineries that would
otherwise use a different kind of lubricant. There are also other situations
when they can be used.
There
are some friction modifier additives that are liquid and there are some that
are in solid form. These friction modifying liquids include acetone, magnesium
carbonate, fluorine, and formaldehyde. A very viscous and thick fluid is fluorine.
It is widely used for friction dampening and melting. Another additive that has
been developed for friction dampening is polylactic acid and it's also used for
lubrication purposes.
The
U.S., in terms of market for friction modifier additives, is witnessing several
M&A activities. For instance, in January 2021, CSW Industrials, Inc. and
Pennzoil-Quaker State Company dba SOPUS products, a wholly owned subsidiary of
Shell Oil Company, signed an agreement under which Whitmore Manufacturing, LLC,
a wholly owned subsidiary of CSWI, and Shell will form a joint venture for
commercialization of lubricants and other products.
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