A TRIBOCATALYSIS REACTION IN BOUNDARY LUBRICATION - AN ANTIWEAR SYNERGISM BETWEEN BORATES AND COPPER OLEATE

The combination of an oil-soluble cupric salt such as copper oleate an d organic borates gave better antiwear protection in an oil than eithe r component separately. The surface examination of the rubbing zone in dicated that the atomic concentration of copper produced on. the bound ary layers by such combinations were greater than those without berate s. Based on this, an antiwear synergistic mechanism can be postulated in which borates with electron-deficient p orbits in boron catalyze th e triboreduction of cupric salts on rubbing surfaces.