(151f) Industrial Viability Study of the Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Use As Lubricant Additives

With an ever increasing demand for fossil fuels and an ever decreasing supply, global environmental regulations continue to push for higher fuel economy and lower emission in all forms of vehicular transportation. This push has created the need for new engine oils that can produce better fuel economy and wear properties, while operating under harsher conditions and at lower viscosities. Traditionally, organic friction modifiers like glycerol monooleate (GMO) or molybdenum dithiocarbamate (MoDTC) have been used to reduce engine oil friction. More recently, researchers have shown that inorganic nanoparticles of cerium (Ce), zinc (Zn), or alloys of Ce and Zn that have been modified to be oil-soluble and self-dispersing can be used to reduce friction in engine oils (SAE Technical Paper 2008-01-2460 (2008)) . In this talk, we will review a variety of techniques for synthesizing these nanoparticles and discuss the feasibility of scale up from the lab bench to the industrial scale.