Polymer Supported Components for Lubricant Additives

该研究计划将寻求建立在从发动机油中去除多环碳氢化合物的方法基础上，以创建旨在从碳氢化合物中去除污染物的定制材料和方法。更具体地说，该项目的目标是测试聚合物负载添加剂的概念，并了解使用该方法来提高性能并最大限度地减少自由循环润滑油添加剂的有害影响是否可行。这项工作的技术动机是绕过与当前用于发动机油中的一些添加剂相关的不必要的副作用，以提供性能。例如，胺类抗氧化剂可导致沉积物，脂肪族胺损坏密封件，聚合物分散剂对车辆燃料经济性具有有害影响，并且含灰添加剂可影响通过燃烧室的排气后处理。添加剂的正负性能因素的平衡是润滑油设计是配方优化的关键所在。工作计划将包括有机合成、聚合物合成、聚合物表征和聚合物测试。工作方案中的聚合物测试部分将包括筛选聚合物材料，以确定其清除发动机机油中的酸性物质、自由基和油泥等污染物的能力。可以探索聚合物功能的其他方面，例如降低发动机油氧化速率的能力。这项工作的各个方面可以在大学使用污染物的标准溶液或加标模型发动机油进行，但评估最终必须在工业设施中的燃烧发动机内进行，以进行全面验证。

The research programme will seek to build on methodologies developed to remove polycyclic hydrocarbons from engine oils to create bespoke materials and methods that are designed to remove contaminants from hydrocarbons. More specifically, the objective of this project would be to test the concept of polymer-supported additives and understand if it is feasible to use the approach to boost performance and minimise deleterious effects from freely-circulating lubricant additives.The technical motivation for this work is to bypass the unwanted side-effects that are associated with some of the current additives used in engines oils to provide performance. For example, aminic anti-oxidants can cause deposits, aliphatic amines damage seals, polymeric dispersants have a detrimental effect on vehicle fuel economy and ash-containing additives can affect exhaust after-treatment via the combustion chamber. This balance of positive and negative performance factors from additives is why lubricant design is a careful game of formulation optimisation.The work programme will include organic synthesis, polymer synthesis, polymer characterisation and polymer testing. The polymer testing component of the work programme will include the screening of the polymeric materials for their ability to remove contaminants, for example acidic species, free radicals and sludge, from engine oils. Other aspects of polymer functionality, such as the ability to reduce engine oil oxidation rates, may be explored. Aspects of this work can be undertaken at the University using standard solutions of contaminants or spiked model engine oils, however evaluation will eventually have to be performed in situ within fired engines in the industrial facilities for full validation.