U.S. patent application number 11/250964 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-19 for enhanced petroleum-based aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant using inorganic fullerence-like nano-spheres.
This patent application is currently assigned to Nano Chemical Systems Holding, Inc.. Invention is credited to Matthew Mark Zuckerman.
Application Number | 20070087943 11/250964 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37948869 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070087943 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zuckerman; Matthew Mark |
April 19, 2007 |
Enhanced petroleum-based aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant using
inorganic fullerence-like nano-spheres
Abstract
The present invention provides a new composite lubricant to
deliver lubrication effectiveness by reducing friction coefficient
and wear rates and increasing the load bearing capacity, said
composite lubricant comprising a base of time-proven aliphatic
hydrocarbon into and dispersed throughout which are both nested,
hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres and petroleum distillates
previously used as antistatic additives to increase conductivity of
the composite lubricant.
Inventors: |
Zuckerman; Matthew Mark;
(Woody Creek, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GEORGE S. COLE, ESQ.
495 SEAPORT COURT, SUITE 101
REDWOOD CITY
CA
94063
US
|
Assignee: |
Nano Chemical Systems Holding,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
37948869 |
Appl. No.: |
11/250964 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
508/167 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C10M 2201/043 20130101;
C10M 169/04 20130101; C10M 2203/1025 20130101; C10N 2030/28
20200501; C10N 2010/12 20130101; C10N 2030/06 20130101; C10M
2203/0206 20130101; C10N 2020/06 20130101; C10N 2010/14
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
508/167 |
International
Class: |
C10M 105/04 20060101
C10M105/04; C10M 125/22 20060101 C10M125/22 |
Claims
1. A new composite lubricant to deliver lubrication effectiveness
by reducing friction coefficient and wear rates and for increasing
the load bearing capacity, said composite lubricant comprising: an
aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base; a quantity of nested, hollow,
fullerene-like nano-spheres made from at least one layered
inorganic compound from the set of tungsten disulfide and selenium
(WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide and selenium
(MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and selenium
(NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2); and, a petroleum distillate from the class
of those previously used as an antistatic additive; whereby the
aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base serves as a matrix support for
the hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres, the nested, hollow,
fullerene-like nano-spheres act as nano-ball-bearings and thereby
reduce friction to levels comparable with those found in ball
bearings, and the petroleum distillate from the class of those
previously used as an antistatic additive increases the
conductivity of the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base.
2. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 1 wherein the
aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base is selected from a the set of
aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricants having from 15-to-20-carbon
straight chain length n-alkanes derived from petroleum by
distillation, said set including n-Pentadecane, n-Hexadecane,
n-Heptadecane, n-Octadecane, n-Nonadecane and n-Eicosane.
3. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 2 wherein the
nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres made from at least one
layered inorganic compound from the set of tungsten disulfide and
selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide and selenium
(MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and selenium
(NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2): are between 8 nm and 240 nm in diameter;
and, are present in a quantity of between 0.001% and 20% by weight
in the composite lubricant.
4. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres made from at least one
layered inorganic compound from the set of tungsten disulfide and
selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide and selenium
(MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and selenium
(NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2) are between 10 nm and 200 nm in
diameter.
5. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres made from at least one
layered inorganic compound from the set of tungsten disulfide and
selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide and selenium
(MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and selenium
(NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2) are between 10 nm and 70 nm in
diameter.
6. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres made from at least one
layered inorganic compound from the set of tungsten disulfide and
selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide and selenium
(MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and selenium
(NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2) are present in the composite lubricant in a
quantity of between 0.1% and 7.5% by weight.
7. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
petroleum distillate from the class of those previously used as an
antistatic additive is selected from a population of commercially
available antistatic additive materials based on the chemical
compatibility of the particular antistatic additive material
selected with the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base and the cost
effectiveness of raising the conductivity of the composite
lubricant to the desired level for the lubrication application,
said class specifically including Exxsol.TM. Antistatic Fluids D
40, D-3135, D 60 and Hexane.
8. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
quantity of petroleum distillate from the class of those previously
used as an antistatic additive is determined by measuring the
conductivity of the composite lubricant as the petroleum distillate
is added and stopping when the attained conductivity of the
composite lubricant matches that desired conductivity consistent
with the anticipated application, after which the nested, hollow,
fullerene-like nano-spheres are added to and blended with the
combined aliphatic hydrocarbon base and petroleum distillate
mixture to obtain the final composite lubricant.
9. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
quantity of petroleum distillate from the class of those previously
used as an antistatic additive mixed in ranges between 0.001 and
10% of the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base by weight.
10. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
conductivity of the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base is
increased by adding sufficient quantity of the petroleum distillate
from the class of those previously used as an antistatic additive
to increase the conductivity of the mixture to that level which
will allow the static electricity generated by any high speed
rotation of the nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres,
suspended in the composite lubricant, to ground safely under the
worst conditions of use anticipated and thereby prevent any
reduction in performance associated with local breakdown of the
hydrocarbon or safety problems.
11. A composite lubricant as set forth in claim 3 wherein the
quantity of petroleum distillate from the class of those previously
used as an antistatic additive mixed in ranges between 10 and
100,000 parts per million by liquid volume.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Petroleum Aliphatic Hydrocarbons:
[0002] Crude oil contains aliphatic hydrocarbons composed of
nothing but hydrogen and carbon. The carbon atoms link together in
chains of different lengths. Different substances come from
combinations whose only difference is the length of the carbon
chains. Since different chain lengths have progressively higher
boiling points, they can be separated out by distillation. In an
oil refinery crude oil is heated and the different chains are
distilled off by their vaporization temperatures. The lightest four
chains are all gases at room temperature. The chains up through
C.sub.18H.sub.32 or so are all liquids at room temperature, and the
chains above C.sub.19 are all solids at room temperature.
[0003] The chains in the C.sub.5 to C.sub.7 range are all very
light, easily vaporized, clear liquids called naphthas. They are
used as solvents in dry cleaning fluids, paint solvents and other
quick-drying products. The chains from C.sub.7H.sub.16 through
C.sub.11H.sub.24 are blended together and used for gasoline. Next
is kerosene, in the C.sub.12 to C.sub.15 range, followed by diesel
fuel and heavier fuel oils like the heating oil for houses,
followed by the lubricating oils. These oils no longer vaporize in
any way at normal temperatures. For example, engine oil can run all
day at 250 degrees F. (121.degree. C.) without vaporizing at all.
Oils go from very light (like 3-in-1 oil) through various
thicknesses of motor oil through very thick gear oils and then
semi-solid greases. Finally, chains above the C.sub.20 range form
solids, starting with paraffin wax, then tar and finally asphaltic
bitumen.
[0004] The following are the 15-to-20-carbon, straight chain
length, n-alkanes derived from petroleum by distillation that are
used as lubricants. TABLE-US-00001 CAR- FORMULA BON NAME (MOL WT.)
M.P. B.P CAS RN C(15) n-Pentadecane C.sub.15H.sub.32 (212.42) 10 C.
271 C. 629-62-9 C(16) n-Hexadecane C.sub.16H.sub.34 (226.44) 18 C.
287 C. 544-76-3 C(17) n-Heptadecane C.sub.17H.sub.36 (240.47) 22 C.
302 C. 629-78-7 C(18) n-Octadecane C.sub.18H.sub.38 (254.50) 28 C.
316 C. 593-45-3 C(19) n-Nonadecane C.sub.19H.sub.40 (268.53) 32 C.
329 C. 629-92-5 C(20) n-Eicosane C.sub.20H.sub.42 (282.55) 37 C.
343 C. 112-95-8
[0005] Addition of phosphates and sulfur improve the lubrication
ability of petroleum derivatives, where the base hydrocarbon
lubricant also functions as a carrier of metallic salts. Today,
numerous chemicals are added to provide functionality to the base
hydrocarbon lubricant. Aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricants with
various additives have found use in many applications.
[0006] Additive to Increase Conductivity of Hydrocarbons:
[0007] Static electric charge can build up in hydrocarbon liquids
that get internally agitated during transfer operations such as
discharging from a hose or nozzle, moving through pipes, mixing,
pouring, agitation, and splashing. This static electric charge can
get carried downstream, and the potential for accidents can
increase with this increase in built-up static charge. This
build-up of charge is more pronounced with low-conductivity
hydrocarbons (naptha, gasoline and blends).
[0008] Low conductivity hydrocarbons are defined as below 50
pico-siemens per meter conductivity. A class of products called
"antistatic fluids" or "antistatic additives", which also are
petroleum distillates, are added to raise the conductivity of these
low conductivity hydrocarbons to a safer level at or above 100
pico-siemens per meter conductivity. Very small quantities of these
antistatic fluids are required to raise the conductivity to the
desired levels: some 10 to 30 milliliters per 1,000 gallons of
hydrocarbon.
[0009] Typical antistatic fluids are ExxonMobil.TM. Chemical's line
of de-aromatized hydrocarbon fluids known as Exxsol.TM. fluids.
Representative fluids and their distillation points are shown
below. The IBP is the temperature at which 1% of the material is
distilled and the DP is the temperature at which 96% of the
material is distilled. TABLE-US-00002 Exxsol .TM. Antistatic Fluids
Distillation Hexane D 40 D-3135 D 60 IBP, (.degree. C.) min. 65 150
152 177 DP, (.degree. C.) max. 71 210 182 220 Additive (ml/1000
gallons) 30 30 10 30
[0010] Fullerene-Like (IF) Nano-Spheres:.
[0011] The terms `nano` and `nested, hollow, fullerene-like
nano-spheres`, used to describe the structure of a class of
inorganic compounds, have their derivation from a combination of
the Greek language and science fiction literature. The word nano
comes from the Greek word `nanos` (vavoo) for dwarf, arid refers to
structures that are about one billionth of a meter in size, or a
thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The
nested structure of hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres is
analogous to that of an onion or a Russian doll, where inside all
but the innermost shell there exists a slightly smaller shell, and
within that slightly smaller shell exists another slightly,
slightly smaller shell, recursing to the innermost shell. These
structures are called `fullerene-like` because each shell resembles
the geodesic dome design of Buckminster Fuller.
[0012] Layered inorganic compounds of the type MX.sub.2 (where M is
molybdenum, tungsten or niobium, and X is sulphur or selenium) are
known lubricants in large flat platelets, with weak interlayer
bonding which facilitates transfer of the materials to the upper
and lower mating surface. The transfer is responsible in part for
low friction and wear. These large flat platelets have, however,
the drawback of having reactive edges.
[0013] Nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres made from
layered inorganic compounds of the type MX.sub.2 have no exposed
reactive edges, but retain as their inner and outer mating surfaces
the lubrication properties of the large flat platelets. The small
size, shape, composition and structure of these nano-spheres make
them superior lubricants. Nested, hollow, fullerene-like
nano-spheres can be made from inorganic compounds including
tungsten disulfide and selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum
disulfide and selenium (MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium
disulfide and selenium (NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2).
[0014] Nested, hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres of tungsten
disulfide and selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide
and selenium (MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and
selenium (NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2) have demonstrably a superior form
factor for lubrication than the platelet forms of the same
materials, lacking the weakness of the reactive edges. However,
such nested, hollow fullerene-like nano-spheres, because of their
small size, may rotate at high speeds and generate static
electricity, requiring further means to avoid reduction in
performance associated with local breakdown of hydrocarbons or
safety problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In the present invention, an aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant
base has both a quantity of nested, hollow, fullerene-like
nanospheres made of the named inorganic compounds added to,
dispersed through, and suspended in it, and a quantity of petroleum
distillate previously used as an antistatic additive added in order
to increase the conductivity of the composite lubricant so as to
provide a conduit to an electric ground, thereby both avoiding
reduction in performance associated with local breakdown of the
hydrocarbon and safety problems caused by static build-up.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a representation of a nested, hollow,
fullerene-like nano-sphere [1] with three layers [1A, 1B, and 1C],
with the top-right quadrant cut away to show the nesting of the
nano-sphere's layers.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a representation of the composite lubricant
between a first metal surface [5] and a second [7], wherein the
aliphatic hydrocarbon base [11] has dispersed throughout it both
hollow, fullerene-like nano-spheres made of the inorganic compounds
[13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, 13e, 13f, 13g, 13h, 13i, 13j] and an
anti-static additive [15], the latter allowing any static charge
from the movement or rotation of the hollow, fullerene-like
nano-spheres made of the inorganic compounds to be safely
grounded.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] It is the objective of the invention to provide a new,
composite lubricant reducing its friction coefficient and wear
rates and increasing its load-bearing capacity, by taking advantage
of the respective, particular, and complementary capabilities of
its differing incorporated materials
[0019] An aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base is modified by
adding an anti-static additive and a quantity of nested, hollow,
fullerene-like nano-spheres made from the set of inorganic
compounds tungsten disulfide and selenium (WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2),
molybdenum disulfide and selenium (MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and
niobium disulfide and selenium (NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2), wherein the
aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base serves as a matrix support for
the nano-spheres, and the nano-spheres act as nano-ball bearings
and thereby reduce friction to levels comparable with those found
in ball bearings, while the anti-static additive enables any static
charge created by the spinning of the nano-spheres to be grounded
through the composite lubricant.
[0020] The nested, hollow fullerene-like nano-spheres are made from
the set of inorganic compounds tungsten disulfide and selenium
(WS.sub.2, WSe.sub.2), molybdenum disulfide and selenium
(MoS.sub.2, MoSe.sub.2), and niobium disulfide and selenium
(NbS.sub.2, NbSe.sub.2), and have a diameter between 8 and 240 nm,
with a higher limit of 200 nm being better and preferentially
between 10 and 70 nm. These nested, hollow fullerene-like
nano-spheres are preferentially present in the composite lubricant
in a quantity of between 0.1% and 7.5% by weight
[0021] In view of their small size these nano-spheres may rotate at
high speeds and generate static electricity, especially when the
composite lubricant is in use. To reduce that hazard a conductive
anti-static additive is also added to and distributed throughout
the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base in which these
nano-spheres are suspended. This composite lubricant will thereby
avoid reduction in its performance associated with local breakdown
of the aliphatic hydrocarbon base and safety problems from
static-electric build-up.
[0022] The quantity of antistatic additive required to increase the
conductivity of the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base is
determined by measuring the conductivity of the composite lubricant
as the antistatic additive is mixed in and stopping when the
desired conductivity consistent with the application is reached,
after which the blended aliphatic hydrocarbon base and antistatic
additive mixture has the nested, hollow fullerene-like nano-spheres
also blended in, to obtain the final composite lubricant. The
amount of antistatic additive mixed in will range between 0.001%
and 10% of the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base by weight, and
preferentially between 1% and 7.5% by weight, though it may be
mixed in at a liquid volume of between 10 and 100,000 parts per
million.
[0023] According to another feature of the invention the chain
length of the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base is selected from
those with between 15 and 20 carbons, with the selection being
guided by the consideration of which chain length is most
consistent with the composite lubrication's use and the need for
the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base to provide a sufficient
support matrix in which the nested, hollow, fullerene-like
nano-spheres are dispersed throughout the aliphatic hydrocarbon
lubricant base and will maintain said dispersion under expected
operating conditions.
[0024] According to still another feature of the invention the
antistatic additive is selected from a population of commercially
available materials based on the ability of the material's chemical
compatibility with the aliphatic hydrocarbon lubricant base and the
cost effectiveness of raising the conductivity of the composite
lubricant to the desired level for the composite lubrication's
anticipated application.
* * * * *