Improved Measurement Accuracy of Wear Metals in Lubricant Oils by ICP-OES

Importance of the Topic

The analysis of wear metals in lubricating oils is essential for predictive maintenance and equipment health monitoring. Accurate detection of trace metals helps prevent machinery damage and unplanned downtime in industrial and petrochemical operations.

Objectives and Overview

This study illustrates how the Agilent 5800 Radial View ICP-OES, combined with the ASTM D5185-18 method and smart software tools, enhances measurement accuracy and reduces remeasurements when determining 22 elements in lubricant oils.

Methodology

The ASTM D5185-18 protocol was applied for rapid multi-element analysis. Key analytical challenges included carbon deposition in the torch and spectral interferences from high-concentration additives like molybdenum.

Used Instrumentation

• Agilent 5800 Radial View ICP-OES with IntelliQuant, Outlier Conditional Formatting (OCF), and Early Maintenance Feedback (EMF).
• Easy-fit fully demountable RV torch with a 1.4 mm quartz injector and integrated AVS 7 valve system.
• NIST 1085c Wear Metals in Lubricant Oil Standard Reference Material for validation.

Main Results and Discussion

Carbon buildup in the torch was eliminated by switching to the Easy-fit demountable design, ensuring stable performance. In Mo-spiked samples (250 mg/kg), OCF quickly flagged inconsistent Si readings across three wavelengths. IntelliQuant identified interference at 251.611 nm from Mo 251.609 nm and recommended Si 251.432 nm, achieving reliable quantitation without remeasuring.

Validation with the oil SRM produced recoveries within ±10% of certified values for all 22 elements, demonstrating the method’s accuracy and robustness.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Reduced sample reruns through proactive outlier detection and interference correction.
• Minimized downtime with automatic maintenance alerts (EMF).
• High throughput analysis of wear metals and additives in routine lubricant monitoring.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

The integration of advanced data analytics and smart diagnostics in ICP-OES will continue to improve method reliability. Emerging trends include real-time process monitoring, expanded element coverage, and adaptive wavelength selection for complex matrices.

Conclusion

The combination of the Agilent 5800 RV ICP-OES with IntelliQuant, OCF, and EMF streamlines wear metal analysis in lubricants, delivering accurate results, fewer remeasurements, and optimized instrument uptime.

Reference

Agilent Technologies, Inc. Application Brief 5994-1671EN, April 2020.