Lubricant Additive Components
CheMost supplies friction modifier additives for lubricants — the surface-active and organometallic components that lower boundary friction to improve fuel economy, reduce wear and smooth the transition from static to sliding contact.
These are friction modifiers dosed into engine, gear and industrial oils by formulators — not the consumer “limited-slip” or “friction modifier” bottles added to a diff. The range covers the two workhorse routes: organomolybdenum (MoDTC, MoDTP and a sulfur/phosphorus-free complex) and sulfurized-organic (fatty/ester) friction modifiers. Compare them below, then open a product page for specifications and documentation.
Browse CheMost Friction Modifiers
Start with the product family that best matches your formulation target. Each product page goes deeper into the exact grade, properties, and documentation.
Why Friction Control Matters
Around 20–25% of the energy an engine makes from fuel is lost to friction — most of it at the piston-ring/liner interface, the rest in bearings and the valve train. As oils move to lower viscosity for fuel economy, more of the engine spends time in boundary and mixed lubrication, where metal asperities touch and the oil film alone cannot carry the load. A friction modifier is the additive that lowers friction in exactly those regimes, which is why it is central to modern fuel-economy oils (ASTM Sequence VI-family tests, ILSAC GF-6, ACEA) and to smooth, quiet operation in gear and transmission fluids.
Friction Modifiers vs Antiwear / EP Additives
Friction modifiers and antiwear/EP additives both act in boundary lubrication, but they do different jobs — and the difference is mechanical:
- Antiwear/EP films are semiplastic reaction layers that are hard to shear — they protect the surface but leave a moderate friction coefficient (µ ≈ 0.12–0.18).
- Friction-modifier films are orderly, closely-packed molecular layers with the polar head anchored to the metal and the tails easily sheared — giving a much lower friction coefficient (µ ≈ 0.06–0.08), versus ~0.5–7 for an unlubricated surface.
In short: an antiwear additive stops metal damage; a friction modifier makes the contact slip. Most formulations use both, balanced against each other.
The CheMost Range — How to Choose
CheMost covers the two main friction-modifier routes. The choice turns on whether you want a multifunctional organomolybdenum or a metal-free organic friction modifier, and on your SAPS/ash budget:
Molybdenum Dialkyldithiocarbamate (MoDTC)
Type: Organomolybdenum friction modifier — phosphorus-free.
Best for: Premium fuel-economy friction reduction — it decomposes to a low-friction molybdenum-disulfide tribofilm and works synergistically with ZDDP. Carries 10% molybdenum and sulfur but no phosphorus, for low-P oils.
Molybdenum Dialkyldithiophosphate (MoDTP)
Type: Organomolybdenum friction modifier — Mo, S and P.
Best for: The classic, cost-effective organomolybdenum FM — forms a molybdenum-disulfide tribofilm at high temperature and adds phosphorus antiwear, working with ZDDP.
Note: Contributes molybdenum, sulfur and phosphorus to the ash/SAPS budget.
Organomolybdenum Complex (S/P-Free)
Type: Organomolybdenum friction modifier — sulfur- and phosphorus-free molybdenum-amine.
Best for: Low-SAPS, ash-sensitive engine oils — forms a low-friction molybdenum tribofilm with no sulfur or phosphorus, adds no ash beyond its molybdenum, and works in synergy with ZDDP.
Sulfurized Triglycerides
Type: Sulfurized-organic (fatty) friction modifier.
Best for: Metal-free friction reduction and oiliness with mild EP from the sulfur — a fatty-derived organic FM for gear, slideway and metalworking oils where ash is unwanted.
Treat Rate & Synergy
Friction modifiers are typically used at low treat rates: organic friction modifiers around 0.25–1.0 wt%, organomolybdenum types at a few hundred ppm of molybdenum. Two formulation points matter:
- Temperature window. Organic friction modifiers adsorb and work over a wide temperature range but can desorb if it gets too hot; organomolybdenum types need the contact to heat up before they form their molybdenum-disulfide film. Combining an organic FM with an organomolybdenum FM covers both ends — a common strategy in fuel-economy oils.
- Synergy and competition. Organomolybdenum works synergistically with ZDDP and with organic FMs, helping hold phosphorus down while keeping wear protection. But detergents, dispersants and antiwear additives compete for the same metal surface, so the friction modifier must be balanced into the whole package — and protected by the right antioxidant system so it survives the drain interval.
Exact treat rate depends on your base oil, target test and the rest of the additive package. CheMost can advise on grade, dose and combinations on request.
Common Applications
- Passenger-car engine oils: fuel-economy friction reduction in the valve train and piston group, targeting ILSAC GF-6 / API SP fuel-economy requirements.
- Heavy-duty diesel engine oils: friction and wear control with attention to the ash/SAPS budget.
- Gear oils, limited-slip & automatic transmission fluids: the classic friction-modifier use — smooth static-to-dynamic transition, anti-shudder and reduced noise.
- Slideway & machine-tool oils: stick-slip control for precise, chatter-free motion.
- Greases & industrial oils: friction and oiliness improvement, often with an antiwear/EP system.
Need help selecting a friction modifier?
Tell us your application, fuel-economy or anti-shudder target, ash/SAPS budget and base oil. We will point you to the right route — organomolybdenum or sulfurized-organic — and advise on combinations, then share the relevant technical documents.
Request a Sample Get a QuoteFriction modifiers are specified across Automotive Lubricant and Industrial Lubricant formulations, paired with ZDDP antiwear additives, EP additives and antioxidants. See our industry pages for a full overview of the additives used in each application.
Quick Reference
What is a friction modifier?
A friction modifier is a lubricant additive that lowers friction in boundary and mixed lubrication — when metal surfaces are close enough to touch. It forms an easy-to-shear molecular or molybdenum-disulfide film on the metal, dropping the friction coefficient to roughly 0.06–0.08 (versus 0.12–0.18 for an antiwear film). The main benefits are fuel economy, smoother operation and reduced wear.
Organomolybdenum or organic — which should I use?
Organomolybdenum (such as MoDTP) gives strong friction reduction plus antiwear/EP in one molecule and forms a molybdenum-disulfide tribofilm, but adds molybdenum, sulfur and phosphorus to the ash/SAPS budget. Sulfurized-organic friction modifiers (fatty triglycerides or esters) give metal-free friction reduction and oiliness with mild EP, useful where ash is unwanted. Many fuel-economy oils combine the two. CheMost supplies both routes.
How is a friction modifier different from an antiwear additive?
Both act in boundary lubrication, but an antiwear/EP additive builds a tough, hard-to-shear reaction film that protects the surface at a moderate friction coefficient (≈0.12–0.18), while a friction modifier builds an orderly, easy-to-shear film that gives a much lower coefficient (≈0.06–0.08). An antiwear additive stops damage; a friction modifier makes the contact slip. Most oils use both.
How much friction modifier should I use?
Typically low: organic friction modifiers around 0.25–1.0 wt%, organomolybdenum types at a few hundred ppm of molybdenum. More is not always better — above an optimum the friction benefit plateaus, and friction modifiers compete with detergents, dispersants and antiwear additives for the metal surface, so the level must be balanced into the whole package. Validate in bench and engine tests; our team can suggest a starting point.
Is this the same as a limited-slip or “friction modifier” additive bottle?
No. CheMost supplies friction-modifier additive components to lubricant formulators — organomolybdenum and sulfurized-organic types, in drums and IBCs. These are raw materials for oil blenders, not the consumer aftermarket “friction modifier” or limited-slip bottles added to a differential.
Explore Other Additive Components
Every CheMost additive component, at a glance. Build a complete formulation — open any family to see its full product range, grades, and treat rates.