Uniform Polyester-Based Nanoparticles Assembled via Living Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly as Friction-Reducing Agents in Engine Oil

Developing new friction modifiers with enhanced green credentials for the automotive industry is imperative to reduce man-made global warming. Recently, polymer-based particles have been of great interest for this application; however, control over their dimensions in different vectors has been limited. We report the crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA) of block copolymers in nonpolar and oil solvents, where both blocks contain an ester moiety in the backbone. Cylindrical micelles of controlled lengths were accessed via a living CDSA method, which, when transferred into a base oil, reduced the friction coefficient of the oil. Herein, we established a dimension-friction modification relationship using cylindrical polyester-based particles, which outperformed commonly used lubricants.