LUBRICANT WITH NANODIAMONDS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20100029518A1
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanotech Lubricants, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nanotech Lubricants, LLC
• Inventors: Factor, Andrey, Markovitz, Michael, Verdino, Guy
• Granted Patent: US 9,574,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 508/113
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/02 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 141/00 Lubricating compositions characterised by the additive being a mixture of two or more compounds covered by more than one of the main groups C10M125/00 - C10M139/00, each of these compounds being essential
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/02 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/041 Carbon; Graphite; Carbon black
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/02 Viscosity; Viscosity index
• 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 2040/04 Oil-bath; Gear-boxes; Automatic transmissions; Traction drives
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/08 Hydraulic fluids, e.g. brake-fluids
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/25 Internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2070/00 Specific manufacturing methods for lubricant compositions

Abstract

A lubricating composition and method of making the same are provided. The lubricating composition comprises a lubricant fluid, water, and carbon nanoparticles comprising nanodiamonds. The method comprises mixing the lubricating composition under high shear followed by ultrasonication.

Claims

1. A method of making a lubricant composition, comprising:

combining a lubricating fluid, an added amount of water, and carbon nanoparticles, wherein the carbon nanoparticles include nanodiamonds;

mixing the combination of lubricating fluid, water, and carbon nanoparticles to produce a mixture of lubricating fluid, water, and carbon nanoparticles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lubricating fluid is an oil having a kinematic viscosity at 40°

C. which ranges from about 15 cSt to about 800 cSt.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the lubricating fluid is one selected from an engine oil, a gear oil, a transmission fluid, a differential fluid, a power steering fluid, a tractor hydraulic fluid, and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mixing comprises providing a high shear mixing device, and mixing the combination of lubricating fluid, water, and carbon nanoparticles with the high shear mixing device at a selected mixing rate and for a selected period of time to produce the mixture of lubricating fluid, water, and carbon nanoparticles.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising subjecting the mixture to ultrasonic stimulation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of subjecting the mixture to ultrasonic stimulation comprises subjecting the mixture to one or more selected ultrasonic wavelengths and one or more selected amplitudes for a selected period of time to substantially distribute the carbon nanoparticles throughout the mixture.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of subjecting the mixture to ultrasonic stimulation comprises flowing the mixture through an in-line homogenizer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the in-line homogenizer comprises a flow restricting orifice in fluid communication with a baffle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the flow restricting orifice comprises a slotted orifice.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the baffle comprises a blade having a thickness that increases in a direction along the length of the homogenizer.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of subjecting the mixture to ultrasonic stimulation increases the temperature of the mixture by an amount ranging from about 5°

F. to about 60°

F.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanoparticles comprise at least about 60% nanodiamonds by weight of the total amount of carbon nanoparticles.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of water present in the mixture ranges from greater than 200 ppm to about 2000 ppm by weight of the mixture.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of carbon nanoparticles in the mixture ranges from about 10 ppm to about 500 ppm by weight of the mixture.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of mixing combining comprises combining the lubricant fluid, the added amount of water, and the carbon nanoparticles in a vessel to define a mixture precursor having a liquid level, the method further comprises providing a mix head disposed beneath the liquid level, and the step of mixing comprises drawing a volume of the mixture precursor into the mix head and expelling the volume in a direction that is radially outward of the mix head.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mix head comprises a liquid inlet, a stator having a plurality of openings that collectively define a liquid outlet, and the mixing device further comprises a rotor disposed within the stator.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-blending the carbon nanoparticles and the water prior to the combining step.

18. A lubricant composition, comprising:

a lubricating fluid;

carbon nanoparticles comprising nanodiamonds; and

water, wherein water is present in an amount greater than 200 ppm by weight of the lubricant composition.

19. The lubricant composition of claim 18, wherein the amount of water is between 200 ppm and about 2000 ppm by weight of the lubricating composition.

20. The lubricant composition of claim 18, wherein the carbon nanoparticles comprise at least about 60% nanodiamonds by weight of the total amount of carbon nanoparticles.

21. The lubricant composition of claim 18, wherein the amount of carbon nanoparticles ranges from about 10 ppm to about 500 ppm by weight of the lubricant composition.

22. The lubricating composition of claim 18, wherein the lubricating fluid is an oil having a kinematic viscosity at 40°

C. which ranges from about 15 cSt to about 800 cSt.

23. The lubricating composition of claim 18, wherein the lubricating fluid is one selected from an engine oil a gear oil, a transmission fluid, a differential fluid, a power steering fluid, a tractor hydraulic fluid, and mixtures thereof.

24. A method of lubricating a mechanical device having first and second adjacent surfaces that frictionally engage one another, wherein at least one of the adjacent surfaces moves relative to the other, comprising:

providing the lubricating composition of claim 18;

flowing the lubricating composition between the first and second adjacent surfaces, thereby reducing the friction exerted by the first of the adjacent surfaces on the second of the adjacent surfaces.

25. A method of lubricating a vehicle system comprising a lubricating circulation system, comprising:

providing the lubricating composition of claim 18; and

charging the lubrication system with the lubricating composition.