Trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (phosphonium phosphate) ionic liquid is soluble in non-polar lubricants. It has been proposed as an effective anti-wear additive comparable to zinc dialkyldithiophosphate. Previously, phosphonium phosphate has shown a better anti-wear performance under some conditions such as high temperature. In this work, the tribological performance and the lubrication mechanism of phosphonium phosphate are compared with that of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate when lubricating silicon under various tribological conditions. This can lead to an understanding of the reasons behind the superior anti-wear performance of phosphonium phosphate under some conditions. A micro-scale study is conducted using a nanotribometer. The results show that both additives lead to a considerable reduction in both friction and wear coefficients. The reduction in the wear coefficient is mainly controlled by the formation of the tribofilm on the rubbing surfaces. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate can create a thicker tribofilm, which results in a better anti-wear performance. However, the formation of a thicker film will lead to a faster depletion and thus phosphonium phosphate can provide better anti-wear performance when the depletion of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate starts.
