Polymer Supported Components for Lubricant Additives

该研究方案将寻求建立在开发的方法的基础上，从发动机油中去除多环烃，以创造专门设计的材料和方法，以消除碳氢化合物中的污染物。更具体地说，该项目的目标将是测试聚合物支持的添加剂的概念，并了解使用这种方法来提高性能并将自由循环的润滑油添加剂的有害影响降至最低是否可行。这项工作的技术动机是绕过与目前用于发动机油中的一些添加剂相关的有害副作用，以提供性能。例如，氨基类抗氧化剂会造成沉积物，脂肪胺会损坏密封件，聚合物分散剂会对车辆的燃油经济性产生不利影响，含灰添加剂会通过燃烧室影响尾气后处理。添加剂的积极和消极性能因素的平衡，就是为什么润滑油设计是一场谨慎的配方优化游戏。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。工作方案的聚合物测试部分将包括对聚合物材料进行筛选，以确定其清除发动机油中的污染物的能力，例如酸性物质、自由基和淤泥。还可以探索聚合物功能的其他方面，例如降低发动机油氧化率的能力。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添加了添加剂的模型发动机油进行，但最终将不得不在工业设施的燃烧发动机内进行现场评估，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.