Interactive Effect between Organic Friction Modifiers and Additives on Friction at Metal Pushing V-Belt CVT Components

The interactions between organic friction modifiers (FMs) and other additives in a continuously variable transmission (CVT) fluid (CVTF) are investigated with the goal of optimizing friction management of metal pushing V-belt CVTs. Three types of FMs (oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, and glycerol mono-oleate [GMO]) were formulated in poly-α-olefin (PAO) and a fully formulated CVTF, and the friction performance was evaluated in a reciprocating test apparatus (TE77). To estimate their effect on the major frictional components in the CVTs, a steel belt–pulley and a torque converter clutch, the tribotests were carried out with both steel–steel and paper–steel sliding configurations. Then, the posttest materials were assessed by surface analysis techniques to observe the chemical nature of any reacted layers at the surface.

The results indicate that the friction on the steel surface was significantly influenced by a combination of the FMs and the CVTF additives as well as the functional group of the FMs. Although oleic acid and GMO typically present greater friction reduction than oleyl alcohol under most conditions, oleic acid did not decrease friction at the steel–steel contact with the presence of the other additives in the CVTF formulation; the friction reduction effect was impaired by the presence of other additives. Surface analysis of the posttest specimens implied that it was interactions with the calcium detergent that inactivated the FM effect of oleic acid.