In-Situ Observation of Dynamic Chemical Changes of Zndtp on Metal Friction Surfaces

A new in-situ technique to observe the behavior of lubricant molecules on a metal surface during friction has been developed by combining a two-dimensional fast imaging ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared) spectrometer with temperature-controlled friction apparatus containing a lubricating agent. Using this new system, the chemical and/or physical changes of lubricant molecules have been successfully detected. In this paper, the chemical reaction of ZnDTP during friction is reported with detailed information on time-dependent 2D images of the spatial distribution on a sliding metal surface.