Patent ID: 8741821
Filing Date: 2014-06-03
Classification: B82Y,C01F,C01P,C10M,C10N

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing a friction coefficient adjacent a lubricated surface of a vehicle, comprising providing self-dispersing metal-containing nanoparticles, wherein said nanoparticles are dispersed without the use of an additional dispersing agent, the nanoparticles being dispersed in a lubricant composition containing a base oil of lubricating viscosity, wherein the lubricant composition comprises from about 0.1 to about 5 wt.% of the self-dispersing nanoparticles based on a total weight of the lubricant composition, and providing the lubricant composition containing the self-dispersing metal-containing nanoparticles selected from the group consisting of oxide and sulfide nanoparticles to a component of a vehicle selected from the group consisting of an engine crankcase and an engine drive train, and operating the vehicle wherein the self-dispersing nanoparticles are represented by the formula (A a ) m (B b ) n X x , wherein each of A, B is selected from a metal, X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen and sulfur, subscripts a, b, and x represent compositional stoichiometry, and each of m and n is greater than or equal to zero with the proviso that at least one of m and n is greater than zero, and wherein the self-dispersing nanoparticles are derived from one or more metal organic compounds in the presence of a fatty amine and fatty acid in the substantial absence of water and the nanoparticles, as made, are self-dispersing without the need for a separate coating step and have an average particles size ranging from about 1 to about 10 nanometers.