Nanolube Lubricant

[Philjoe5]

I received a small sample of something called Nanolube (TM). It is called a mechanical lubricant. The active ingredients are nanometer sized spheres of diamonds suspended in oil. I'm planning to test it this way. I have an engine that operates off of my 3 gallon compressor. If I set the rpm to 80 by adjusting the pressure on the regulator, the engine runs for a period of time, t, bewteen compressor cutoff and cutin. This time, t, is quite consistent and I can take several measurements and average them. Then I'm going to apply some of the test lubricant and see what happens to "t". You can view a video of the vendor testing this stuff on a steam tractor at [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=---cCEp3Uko[/ame]. I have no investment in this product. I'm just reporting on a new concept in lubrication. Personally at this point my usual skepticism has kicked in but tests should be revealing. Comments?

Cheers,
Phil

 

[Kermit]

The atomic structure of diamond is not a natural curved surface. It has a rhombodial shape if I remember right.

How can they make spheres out of that in any consistent way? And when a crystal shears or breaks it becomes a miniture cutting tool with two different cutting edges doesn't it?


???



Edit: I suppose it is a matter of "scale" with atomic structures appearing about 10-6 further down the scale than the structures in the oil.

Still a confusing idea to me

 

[ksouers]

I'm with you guys. I don't really see how adding "sand" to the oil increases lubricity. I understand the concept, analogous to adding teeny tiny ball bearings to the oil.

But I'm reminded of the teflon-in-oil debacle of a few years ago. There's no doubt teflon reduces friction. But adding it to oil was the wrong thing to do. It was supposed to coat the bearing surfaces to reduce friction. It really did do that, to an extent. But it also clogged up the oil ports leading to oil starvation at the bearings it was supposed to protect.

It just sounds like turning your oil into a polishing compound.


Kevin

 

[Maryak]

Then I'm going to apply some of the test lubricant and see what happens to "t".

I have a gut feel it's not what happens to "t" but what happens to your compressor bearings ??? ??? ???

Diamonds have facets which cut At nano size I fear they will hack their way into the grain boundaries of the materials they are supposedly lubricating.

Sounds like BS to me with all due respect. Ala Teflon in oil referred to below

Best Regards
Bob

 

[compound driver 2]

I wouldnt want it any place close to my traction engine!

 

[Kermit]

I wonder how carbon "bucky" balls would do in such an application. supposing they could cause them to be more robust as well.

Could it be another form of carbon similar to graphite as opposed to true diamond crystal structure?

 

[shred]

I spoke to a guy that works with such things a while ago.. he says it appears to be functional as a lubricant, but not significantly better than alternatives and it does have some issues as described above. In addition, diamonds will burn and crack far more easily than say, metal or ceramic ball bearings.

 

[Philjoe5]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm not too worried about trashing my test engine since I'm only going to run this stuff for a brief period of time. It can't be any worse than the lapping compound I applied (incorrectly) to the piston and cylinder when I was fitting things together on this engine. I'll let you know how my testing results come out.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[ChooChooMike]

This "NanoLube" has been posting his messages all over the net, especially the Yahoo groups .... starting to get a bit spammy :

 

[Kermit]

Yep, I thought his response to the first few posts was a little too "calm". We were trashing the idea!

Good to know my spidey senses are still working,
Kermit

 

[Kermit]

Hey, I was right. It is buckyballs they are using.

check this story here. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714150657.htm

Also seems that fullerene is very good at getting into your body and into your cells. The implications of this are unknown at this time.



Remember asbestos was once a 'safe' material too,
Kermit

 

[Maryak]

Right on Kermit,

There is much consternation in OZ regarding nano ingredients in sunscreen entering the body and causing cancers.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Kludge]

This "NanoLube" has been posting his messages all over the net, especially the Yahoo groups .... starting to get a bit spammy :

The discussions have been lively, haven't they. If he's breaking down diamond's natural lattice structure then I have to wonder if he really has diamond as such at all.

Someone mentioned "blast diamonds" on one of the groups which are formed by subjecting carbon-something to a sudden high pressure as would be found in an explosion. Supposedly this is a workable substitute for millions of years it takes to form natural diamonds but the products don't have the usual structure.

This should be fun to follow.

BEst regards,

Kludge

 

[Philjoe5]

I'm thinking that this stuff is a suspension of buckminsterfullerene (bucky balls) in a light oil. Bucky balls are an allotrope of carbon, like graphite and diamond. They occur to some extent in common soot. We've been exposed to them for a long time. I suspect if you're walking behind a diesel engine propelled vehicle you're likely to get a lungful. On the other hand if this stuff is suspended in oil and used to lubricate a model engine I'd think your exposure would be minimal or zero.

I'm as skeptical as the next guy, but I have a natural curiosity about this material. I was a chemist in my former life so it comes naturally. I've worked with things like phosgene, dimethylsulfate (a known carcinogen) and other nasty chemicals and learned to give all chemicals a healthy respect.

I've got a test engine set up and will do a few experiments that I believe will measure relative engine efficiency.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[DiamondLube]

Hello Phil,

The Nanomaterial actually is a new form of spherical synthetic diamond. On my website at there is a Scanning Electron Microscope image of my new particles, and I do not shave off the sharp edges, I create these particles with smooth surfaces. There is also oil analysis of Semi engines proving that engine wear is reduced after treatment, and soot is reduced by as much as 66%.

Soon much of the disbelief about my discovery will vanish, as Argonne labs is testing my product for the State of Illinois. Still, truckers are using it in their rigs and saving up to 35% and more in fuel.

I would expect your engine to run at least 30% faster after treatment, compared to the pretreatment test runs - Depleting the air supply 30% faster as well.

Best Regards,
Chris

I received a small sample of something called Nanolube (TM). It is called a mechanical lubricant. The active ingredients are nanometer sized spheres of diamonds suspended in oil. I'm planning to test it this way. I have an engine that operates off of my 3 gallon compressor. If I set the rpm to 80 by adjusting the pressure on the regulator, the engine runs for a period of time, t, bewteen compressor cutoff and cutin. This time, t, is quite consistent and I can take several measurements and average them. Then I'm going to apply some of the test lubricant and see what happens to "t". You can view a video of the vendor testing this stuff on a steam tractor at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=---cCEp3Uko. I have no investment in this product. I'm just reporting on a new concept in lubrication. Personally at this point my usual skepticism has kicked in but tests should be revealing. Comments?

Cheers,
Phil

Edited by Cedge to remove unauthorized commercial content

 

[Metal Butcher]

Quote from the Diamond lube.com web site.

"Friction transfers our novel Non-Detonation NanoDiamond tm from the carrier oil to the friction surface. The .1nm to 4nm particles embed into the upper regions of the friction surface -".

Really, Embed? How does it do that?

I'm thinking this stuff is Bull!

Very expensive Bull at that!

-MB

 

[1hand]

This reminds me of a story. :

When I was a little feller, about 7 years old. A traveling salesman stopped at my Grandpa's and dad's truck shop. He was selling this marvelous pentrating oil spray. I can remember this as it was yesterday...lol

He begins to tell my grandpa how this spacial spray sweeps right through the pores in metal to get into where ever you need the lube. My grandpa stands there for a few seconds, and says "right through the pores, eh"
the salesman says "yup..like you won't believe" Then Grandpa asks him "Well how in the hell do you keep in in the can"

Matt

 

[krv3000]

ar but was it in a plastic bottle

 

[Cedge]

Boys and girls.... I do believe we've just witnessed a very smooth effort at web site spamming, using a 3 year old dormant thread. What say you?

Steve

 

[1hand]

That was very smooth.......must of used Nanolube! ;D