Use of nanoscale materials in a composition for preventing symptoms of fatigue in the surface-closed structure of drive elements

• US 9,296,970 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Klüber Lubrication München SE & Co. KG (Freudenberg & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Klüber Lubrication München SE & Co. KG (Freudenberg & Company KG)
• Inventors: Grundei, Stefan, Krutzsch, Carla, Schmidt-Amelunxen, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): WEISS, PAMELA HL
• Application Number:
  US14/122,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20140162914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 508/126, 508/136, 508/161, 508/165, 508/178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/10 Metal oxides, hydroxides, carbonates or bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 125/26 Compounds containing silicon or boron, e.g. silica, sand
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 141/02 at least one of them being an organic oxygen-containing compound
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 147/02 Monomer containing carbon, hydrogen and halogen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/062 Oxides; Hydroxides; Carbonates or bicarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/105 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1033 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1045 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1055 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2227/04 having a silicon-to-carbon bond, e.g. organo-silanes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/02 Unspecified siloxanes; Silicones
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/055 Particles related characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/061 Coated particles
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/02 Pour-point; Viscosity index
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/04 Detergent property or dispersant property
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/06 Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/12 Inhibition of corrosion, e.g. anti-rust agents or anti-corrosives
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2070/00 Specific manufacturing methods for lubricant compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2070/02 Concentrating of additives

Abstract

A composition for prevention or reduction of fatigue damage, especially trench formation or micropitting, of the surfaces of drive elements, is provided that comprises 0.1 to 40% by weight of surface-modified nanoparticles, and 99.9 to 60% by weight of a carrier material suitable for application to the drive element surfaces.

Claims

1. A composition for prevention or reduction of fatigue damage, especially trench formation or micropitting, of the surfaces of drive elements, consisting of:

(a) 10 to 40% by weight of surface-modified oxidic nanoparticles selected from the group including silicon dioxide, zinc oxide and aluminum oxide nanoparticles, and

(b) 90 to 60% by weight of a carrier material suitable for application to the drive element surfaces.

2. The composition as claimed in any of claim 1, wherein the nano-particles are surface-modified by a surface-modifying reagent comprising silanes selected from alkyl-, aryl- and alkylarylsilanes having at least 1 to 3 of these alkyl, aryl and alkylaryl groups and which may further comprise functional groups operable to react with metal surfaces such as thio groups, phosphate groups or combinations thereof.

3. The composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nano-particles are surface-modified by contacting the surface of said nano-particle with 0.1 to 10 molecules of the modifying reagent per nm² of the surface of the nano-particle.

4. The composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 10 to 40% by weight of nano-particles includes nanoparticles having both different substances and different particle sizes.

5. The composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface-modified nanoparticles have a particle size of 10 nm to less than 200 nm, wherein the particle size is determined by dynamic light scattering in dispersion.

6. The composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier material present in the composition is selected from the group consisting of synthetic and native ester oils, polyglycols, synthetic hydrocarbon oils.

7. A method for prevention or reduction of fatigue damage, especially trench formation or micropitting, of the surfaces of a bearing, gear, transmission element or disc drive, comprising applying the composition of claim 1 to one or more surfaces of the drive element.

8. A method for prevention or reduction of fatigue damage, especially trench formation or micropitting, of the surfaces of a bearing, gear, transmission element or disc drive, comprising:

introducing the composition of claim 1 into a lubricant selected from the group of greases, pastes and oils; and

applying the lubricant to one or more surfaces of the drive element.