No abstract

No abstract

Purpose This paper aims to compare the conditions of in-service oils from diesel and gasoline engines, with focus on nitration. Design/methodology/approach Oil conditions of seven engine oil samples from five diesel-fueled vehicles and nine oil samples from eight gasoline-fueled vehicles with total mileage ranging from 13,600 to 30,000 km were determined via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy as well as neutralization number (NN) and total base number titration. Findings Chemical deterioration was characterized by significant differences in oxidation, nitration, NN increase and residual aminic antioxidant contents. Social implications Submitted in connection with the Special Issue, “Young Tribologists – Insights into the work of the new generation”. Originality/value Uncovering differences in the oil degradation of oils from gasoline and diesel engines enables improved condition-based maintenance strategies and the prediction of oil condition dependent tribological performance.

Engine oil condition and tribological performance are strongly interrelated. Accordingly, oil condition monitoring is common in various applications. This is especially important, as oil condition depends on the fueling and utilization profile of an internal combustion engine. Common practice involves the measurement of various parameters, such as the total acid number and total base number, oxidation, nitration, viscosity, and elemental composition; thus, it can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. This study provides a methodology for rapid analysis for large vehicle fleets or sample sizes, using only Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy and the subsequent multivariate data analysis offers a rapid alternative to commonly available methods. The described method provides a rapid, cost-efficient, and intuitive approach to uncovering differences in the oil condition. Furthermore, understanding the underlying reasons in engine construction and the resulting chemical degradation is also possible.

No abstract