The Technology
Oils and lubricants are crucial to the reduction of erosion and energy loss in systems that include moving surfaces. Two basic requirements for these materials are high viscosity, for surface adherence; and viscosity-temperature response, which is achieved by adding polymers known as viscosity modifiers (VMs). During service, the lubricant’s viscosity decreases due to mechanically-induced fragmentation of the polymer molecules. Folding the polymers into single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCPN) hinders the molecule’s fragmentation, leading to retention of the lubricant’s viscosity properties, extending the lubricant’s lifetime. Moreover, mechanical scission of the folded polymer causes the polymer to gain hydrodynamic size and, as a result, lubricants with such additives display initial viscosity gain, balancing the expected initial loss. Unlike the VMs in use today, the SCPN based VMs can be prepared with longer chain lengths and therefore provide higher viscosity indexes. Hence, shear stable VMs with higher degrees of polymerization can be made, to achieve improved lubricating performance at lower additive concentrations.
Advantages
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Extended working lifetime for oil/lubricant
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Reduce required viscosity management additives
Applications and Opportunities
- Oils and lubricants
Business Development Contacts