Synthesis, physicochemical, and tribological characterization of S-Di-n-octoxyboron-O,O'-di-n-octyldithiophosphate

Dialkyldithiophosphates (DTPs) of zinc(II), copper(II), and other metals have been extensively used as multifunctional additives in lubricants to control friction and reduce wear in mechanical systems. Among these DTP compounds, zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (ZnDTPs) are the most common additives extensively used for more than 60 years. These additives form a protective film on steel surfaces and, thus, control friction and reduce wear. However, ZnDTPs contain zinc and large amounts of phosphorus and sulfur, which impair the environment, both directly and indirectly, by adversely affecting the performance of catalytic converters of various automobiles. For this reason, environmental legislation imposes limitations on concentrations of phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc in the lubricants. In this work, we report on zinc-free S-di-n-octoxyboron-O,O'-di-n-octyldithiophosphate (DOB-DTP) lubricant additive with amount of phosphorus and sulfur reduced by half in a molecule as compared with ZnDTPs. DOB-DTP was synthesized by a reaction in two steps under inert nitrogen atmosphere. The final product, a viscous liquid, was characterized by the elemental analysis, FT-IR, multinuclear (1)H, (13)C, (31)P, and (11)B NMR spectroscopy and thermal analyses. Tribological performance of a mineral oil with this new additive was evaluated in comparison with O,O'-di-n-butyl-dithiophosphato-zinc(II) (ZnDTP) using a four-ball tribometer. The surface morphology and the elemental composition of the tribofilms were characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). The results show that DOB-DTP has a considerably better antiwear performance and higher stability of the coefficient of friction with time as compared with ZnDTP. Both phosphorus and sulfur were detected by the EDS on the worn steel surfaces at all concentrations of additives in the base oil.