Physical Model of Tire-Road Contact Under Wet Conditions

Four non-halogenated ionic liquids (ILs) with trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium cation are tested as lubricant additives to polypropylene (PP) and lithium-complex (LiX) greases. In pin-on-disk tests at elevated temperatures, the addition of an IL with bis(oxalato)borate (BOB]) anion reduces wear by up to 50% when compared to the neat LiX base grease; an IL with bis(mandelato)borate (BMB]) anion reduces friction by up to 60% for both PP and LiX. Elemental analysis reveals that oxygen-rich tribofilms help to reduce wear in case of BOB], while the friction reduction observed for BMB] is likely caused by adsorption processes. We find that temperature has a pronounced effect on additive expression, yet additive concentration is of minor importance under continuous sliding conditions. In contrast, rolling-sliding experiments at 90 °C show that the traction performance of LiX grease is dependent on additive concentration, revealing a reduction in traction by up to 30 and 40% for BMB]- and BOB]-containing ILs at concentrations of 10 wt%. Finally, an IL with dicyanamide anion reduces friction and increases wear in pin-on-disk tests at room temperature, while an IL with bis-2,4,4-(trimethylpentyl)phosphinate anion increases wear, showing only limited potential as grease additives. Overall, this work demonstrates the ability of non-halogenated ILs to significantly extend grease performance limits.