Hybrid Nanolubricant

• US 20140371119A1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howard University
• Original Assignee: Howard University
• Inventors: Mosleh, Mohsen
• Granted Patent: US 9,434,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 508/129
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/02 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/22 Compounds containing sulfur, selenium or tellurium
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/00 Lubricating compositions characterised by purely physical criteria, e.g. containing as base-material, thickener or additive, ingredients which are characterised exclusively by their numerically specified physical properties, i.e. containing ingredients which are physically well-defined but for which the chemical nature is either unspecified or only very vaguely indicated chemically defined ingredients C10M101/00 - C10M169/00; petroleum fractions C10M101/02, C10M121/02, C10M159/04
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/041 Carbon; Graphite; Carbon black
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/05 Metals; Alloys
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/061 Carbides; Hydrides; Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/065 Sulfides; Selenides; Tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/066 Molybdenum sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/087 Boron oxides, acids or salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/02 Groups 1 or 11
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/06 Groups 3 or 13
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2010/12 Groups 6 or 16
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/019 Shear stability
• 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 2020/061 Coated particles
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/06 Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/08 Resistance to extreme temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/25 : Internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/015 : Dispersions of solid lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/10 : Semi-solids; greasy
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/14 : Composite materials or sliding materials in which lubricants are integrally molded
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2070/00 : Specific manufacturing methods for lubricant compositions

Abstract

A nanolubricant composition is described where the lubricant composition includes a flowable oil or grease with a multi-component nanoparticle dispersed in the flowable oil or grease. The multi-component nanoparticle includes a first nanoparticle component which effects thermal conductivity at a part interface and a second nanoparticle component which effects shearing at a part interface.

Claims

1. A nanolubricant composition comprising;

a flowable lubricant; and

a multi-component nanoparticle dispersed in the lubricant, the multi-component nanoparticle including a first nanoparticle component which effects thermal conductivity at a part interface and a second nanoparticle component which effects shearing at a part interface, the second nanoparticle component at least partially integrated with the first nanoparticle component and the first nanoparticle component enhancing thermal conductivity of the nanolubricant to a greater extent than the second nanoparticle component.

2. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the second nanoparticle component at least partially coats the first nanoparticle component.

3. The nanolubricant composition of claim 2 wherein the second nanoparticle component completely coats the first nanoparticle component.

4. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the second nanoparticle component is at least partially embedded into the first nanoparticle component.

5. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the first nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of diamond nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and mixtures thereof, and the second nanoparticle component has a laminar structure.

6. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the first nanoparticle component has a diameter of from about 1 nm to about 25 nm.

7. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the second nanoparticle component has a diameter of less than about 0.7 times a mean roughness of a contacting surface if the second nanoparticle component is generally round or its length is less than about 4 times the mean roughness of the contacting surface if the second nanoparticle is flake-like in shape.

8. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the flowable lubricant has a viscosity from about 10 to about 300 centistokes.

9. The nanolubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the flowable lubricant is in the form of a grease having a viscosity from about 200 to 500 centistokes.

10. A nanolubricant composition comprising;

a viscous lubricant; and

a multi-component nanoparticle, the multi-component nanoparticle including a thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component and a friction modifying nanoparticle component at least partially integrated with the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component, the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of diamond nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, silver, copper, aluminum nitride, and mixtures thereof and has an average particle size in the range of from about 1 nm to about 25 nm and comprises from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the nanolubricant composition and the friction modifying nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, hexagonal boron nitride, graphite and mixtures thereof, and has an average particle size of from about 10 to 100 nm and comprises from about 0.1 to about 5 weight percent of the nanolubricant composition.

11. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the friction modifying nanoparticle component at least partially coats the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component.

12. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component at least partially coats the friction modifying nanoparticle component.

13. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the friction modifying nanoparticle component is at least partially intertwined with the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component.

14. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component has a diameter of less than about 25 nm.

15. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the friction modifying nanoparticle component has a diameter of less than about 0.7 times a mean roughness of a contacting surface if the second nanoparticle component is generally round or its length is less than about 4 times the mean roughness of the contacting surface if the second nanoparticle is flake-like in shape.

16. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the flowable lubricant has a viscosity from about 10 to about 300 centistokes.

17. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the flowable lubricant is in the form of a grease having a viscosity from about 200 to 500 centistokes.

18. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of diamond nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes.

19. The nanolubricant composition of claim 10 wherein the friction modifying nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, hexagonal boron nitride and graphite.

20. A method of manufacturing a nanolubricant comprising the steps of:

providing a lubricant oil;

providing a multi-component nanoparticle, the multi-component nanoparticle including a first nanoparticle component and a second nanoparticle component at least partially integrated with the first nanoparticle component; and

combining the multi-component nanoparticle with the lubricant oil.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of integrating the second nanoparticle component with the first nanoparticle component using a process selected from the group consisting of mechanical ball milling, arc discharge in liquid, oxidation-reduction and chemical vapor deposition.

22. A nanolubricant composition comprising;

a flowable lubricant; and

a multi-component nanoparticle, the multi-component nanoparticle including a first nanoparticle component and a second nanoparticle component at least partially integrated with the first nanoparticle component.

23. The nanolubricant composition of claim 22 wherein the first nanoparticle component is a thermal conductivity modifying nanoparticle component and the second nanoparticle component is a friction modifying nanoparticle component.