title: Chemical and physical characterization by EELS of strontium hexanoate reverse micelles and strontium carbonate nanophase produced during tribological experiments.
abstract: Electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) in the analytical electron microscope has been used to characterize nanometre-scale phases of overbased strontium 3,5-dimethylhexanoate reverse micelles and the tribological film obtained during a friction test when the phases are used as lubricant additives. Accurate chemical, molecular and structural information on these materials are deduced by interpreting the EELS near-edge structure. This approach allows confirmation of the composite structure of the micelles, which contain a mineral core and amorphous strontium carbonate surrounded by an organic shell. It also allows identification of the chemical composition and physical structure of the tribological film as an assembly of pure strontium carbonate microcrystals, i.e. strontianite, distributed in an amorphous intergranular phase.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de Technologie des Surfaces et Interfaces, Faculté des Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Campus de Fouillole, 97159 Pointe à Pitre Cédex, France. Jean-Louis.mansot@univ-ag.fr
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mansot
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Golabkan
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romana
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Césaire