Studies on ZDDP Thermal Film Formation by XANES Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, FIB/SEM and 31P NMR

X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy has been used to characterize the chemistry of thermal films on steel samples, which were generated from a mineral base oil containing a zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) additive. These films were formed at 150 °C by immersing steel coupons in ZDDP oil solutions. The phosphorus L-edge XANES spectra show that these films are composed of polyphosphates, unreacted ZDDP and other thiophosphate intermediates. Phosphorus K-edge FY XANES was used to monitor the thickness of these films, and the data are consistent with thickness derived by focussed ion beam (FIB) milling and SEM imaging. The sulphur K-edge TEY and FY XANES spectra show that these films are composed of different sulphur components, which depend upon the formation times. The surface morphology of these films was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). These images show that the surface morphology of the thermal films changes with the formation time. 31P NMR spectra show that both primary and secondary ZDDP decomposes gradually at 150 °C.