Dielectric nanolubricant compositions

• US 10,100,266 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P&S Global Holdings, LLC, The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Inventors: Malshe, Ajay P., Zhang, Wengyang
• Primary Examiner(s): Hines, Latosha
• Application Number:
  US15/675,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20170369813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/007 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/2244 of zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/2296 of zinc
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 2003/265 Calcium, strontium or barium carbonate
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/16 Halogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/28 Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/36 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/61 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/22 Compounds containing sulfur, selenium or tellurium
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 169/04 Mixtures of base-materials and additives
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 169/042 the additives being compounds of unknown or incompletely defined constitution only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 177/00 Special methods of preparation of lubricating compositions; Chemical modification by after-treatment of components or of the whole of a lubricating composition, not covered by other classes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/04 Elements
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/041 Carbon; Graphite; Carbon black
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/042 halogenated, i.e. graphite fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/06 Metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/061 Carbides; Hydrides; Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/062 Oxides; Hydroxides; Carbonates or bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/065 Sulfides; Selenides; Tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/066 : Molybdenum sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/0663 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/081 : containing halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/082 : containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/084 : containing sulfur, selenium or tellurium
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/087 : Boron oxides, acids or salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/103 : Clays; Mica; Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/0206 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/1006 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/1025 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2205/163 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/0406 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/1285 : used as thickening agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/2815 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/2835 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/2895 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/401 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/046 : used as thickening agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/062 : Polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/0813 : used as thickening agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2223/10 : Phosphatides, e.g. lecithin, cephalin
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2223/103 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/025 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/04 : Groups 2 or 12
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/06 : Groups 3 or 13
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/08 : Groups 4 or 14
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/14 : Group 7
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/16 : Groups 8, 9, or 10
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/06 : Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/06 : Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/56 : Boundary lubrication or thin film lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/023 : Multi-layer lubricant coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/10 : Semi-solids; greasy
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2070/00 : Specific manufacturing methods for lubricant compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 : Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, etc.]

Abstract

A dielectric nanolubricant composition is provided. The dielectric nanolubricant composition includes a nano-engineered lubricant additive dispersed in a base. The nano-engineered lubricant additive may include a plurality of solid lubricant nanostructures having an open-ended architecture and an organic, inorganic, and/or polymeric medium intercalated in the nanostructures and/or encapsulate nanostructures. The base may include a grease or oil such as silicone grease or oil, lithium complex grease, lithium grease, calcium sulfonate grease, silica thickened perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease or PFPE oil, for example. This dielectric nanolubricant composition provides better corrosion and water resistance, high dielectric strength, longer material life, more inert chemistries, better surface protection and asperity penetration, no curing, no staining, and environmentally friendly, compared to current products in the market.

Claims

1. A dielectric nanolubricant composition, the composition comprising:

a nano-engineered lubricant additive dispersed in a base,

wherein the nano-engineered lubricant additive comprises a plurality of solid lubricant nanostructures having an open-ended architecture and a medium selected from an organic medium, inorganic medium, polymeric medium, or combination thereof,

wherein the medium intercalates and/or encapsulates the nanostructures, wherein the base comprises a grease or oil, and wherein the composition is dielectric.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the nanostructures have an average particle dimension of about a few tenths of a micron or less.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the nanostructures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), cerium fluoride, zinc oxide, silica, fluorinated carbon, hexagonal boron nitride, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the nanostructures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of hexagonal boron nitride, polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), calcium carbonate, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the nanostructures comprise calcium fluoride or zirconium oxide.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one of a silicone oil, silicone grease, lithium complex grease, lithium grease, calcium sulfonate grease, silica thickened perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease, or perfluoropolyether (PFPE) oil.

7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the nanostructures comprise polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), calcium carbonate, silica, or zirconium oxide.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the organic and/or inorganic and/or polymeric medium comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, mineral spirit, odorless mineral spirit, acetone, hydrocarbon oils, mineral oil, paraffin oils, synthetic oils, petroleum greases, hydrocarbon greases, lithium based greases, fluoroether based greases, silicones, silicone based grease or a combination thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises the nano-engineered lubricant additive in an amount of 20% by weight or less.

10. The composition of claim 1, further comprising an organic and/or inorganic medium for dispensing.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the organic and/or inorganic medium comprises at least one of heptane, hexane, mineral spirits, odorless mineral spirit, acetone, naphtha, ethyl acetate, toluene, ethylene glycol, isopropanol alcohol, methanol, ethanol, or MEK.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the composition is in a form of a spray coating.

13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is in a form of a gel.

14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has an NLGI grade from #1 to #3.

15. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises from between 10% to 95% by weight of organic and/or inorganic greases comprising silicone based grease, lithium complex grease, lithium grease, silica based perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease, or calcium sulfonate grease.

16. A method of making a dielectric nanolubricant composition, the method comprising:

formulating a nano-engineered lubricant additive comprising;

chemo-mechanical milling a solid lubricant feed and a medium selected from an organic medium, inorganic medium, polymeric medium, or combination thereof to produce a plurality of solid lubricant nanostructures having an open-ended architecture, wherein the medium intercalates and/or encapsulates the nanostructures; and

blending the nano-engineered lubricant additive with a base to disperse the nano-engineered lubricant additive in the base, wherein the base comprises a grease or oil, and wherein the composition is dielectric.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the nanostructures have an average particle dimension of about a few tenths of a micron or less.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the nanostructures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), cerium fluoride, zinc oxide, silica, fluorinated carbon, hexagonal boron nitride, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the nanostructures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of hexagonal boron nitride, polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), calcium carbonate, zirconium oxide, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the nanostructures comprise calcium fluoride or zirconium oxide.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the base comprises at least one of a silicone oil, silicone grease, lithium complex grease, lithium grease, calcium sulfonate grease, silica thickened perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease, or perfluoropolyether (PFPE) oil.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the nanostructures comprise polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), calcium carbonate, silica, or zirconium oxide.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the organic and/or inorganic and/or polymeric medium comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, mineral spirit, odorless mineral spirit, acetone, hydrocarbon oils, mineral oil, paraffin oils, synthetic oils, petroleum greases, hydrocarbon greases, lithium based greases, fluoroether based greases, silicones, silicone based grease or a combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the composition comprises the nano-engineered lubricant additive in an amount of 20% by weight or less.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising an organic and/or inorganic medium for dispensing.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the organic and/or inorganic medium comprises at least one of heptane, hexane, mineral spirits, odorless mineral spirit, acetone, naphtha, ethyl acetate, toluene, ethylene glycol, isopropanol alcohol, methanol, ethanol, or MEK.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the composition is in a form of a spray coating.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the composition is in a form of a gel.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the composition has an NLGI grade from #1 to #3.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the composition comprises from between 10% to 95% by weight of organic and/or inorganic greases comprising silicone based grease, lithium complex grease, lithium grease, silica based perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease, or calcium sulfonate grease.