Lubricant Composition and Methods of Manufacture

Abstract

A lubricant made by a method of modifying fluid suspended metal sulfide particles that does not require use of hazardous additives. The base oil is derived from a proprietary ester lubricant. The formulation process includes a centrifugation step to remove non-colloidal metal sulfide particles. These non-colloidal particles may be collected and turned into colloidal particles for use in future batches of lubricant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lubricant comprising: a colloidal suspension of a base oil and molybdenum disulfide particles having an average particle size between 10 and 5500 nanometers wherein said molybdenum disulfide particles are dispersed in said base oil by applying electrical and magnetic fields to said colloidal suspension while mixing, wherein the electric field is applied using a voltage greater than or equal to about 3 volts. 
     
     
         2 . The lubricant composition of  claim 1 , wherein said base oil is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil-derived methyl ester oil, a petroleum based oil, a sythetic oil, and vegetable oils including soybean oil, canola oil, castor bean oil, sunflower seed oil, peanut oil, corn oil, cashew nut oil, or a combination comprising at least two of the foregoing oils. 
     
     
         3 . The lubricant composition of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field is in the range of 3000 gauss to 20000 gauss. 
     
     
         4 . The lubricant composition of  claim 1 , wherein said base oil is a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of: soybean oil, canola oil, castor bean oil, sunflower seed oil, peanut oil, corn oil, safflower seed oil, linseed oil, jatropha oil, apricot seed oil, mango oil, coconut oil, cashew nut oil, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing oils. 
     
     
         5 . The lubricant of  claim 1 , where said base oil is the methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl esters of synthetic or natural derived fatty acids. 
     
     
         6 . The lubricant composition of  claim 1 , wherein said base oil contains nano-cellulose. 
     
     
         7 . The lubricant composition of  claim 1 , wherein said lubricant composition comprises a ratio of between about 0.1 pounds to about 6 pounds of molybdenum disulfide particles per 11 gallons of base oil. 
     
     
         8 . The lubricant composition of  claim 1 , wherein said lubricant composition comprises about 0.1 pounds to about 6 pounds of molybdenum disulfide per 11 gallons of oil. 
     
     
         9 . A method of making a lubricant comprising the steps of: (a) agitating molybdenum disulfide with a base oil in a reactor in the presence of a magnetic field stronger than the strength of the earth's magnetic field, wherein the base oil is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil, vegetable oil-derived methyl ester oil, and combination thereof; (b) applying, simultaneously with step (a) if desired, an electrical field to the reactor created using a voltage greater than or equal to about 3 volts, wherein the molybdenum disulfide is in the form of particles having an average particle size of about 10 nanometers to about 5500 nanometers after becoming part of the lubricant composition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the base oil is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil, vegetable oil-derived methyl ester oil, a petroleum based oil, a synthetic oil, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further including the step of (c) centrifuging the lubricant composition after the molybdenum disulfide particles are part of the lubricant composition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including the step of (d) reducing the size of the molybdenum disulfide particles to a desired size range after the molybdenum disulfide particles become part of the lubricant composition. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the centrifuging step takes place only after the molybdenum disulfide particles are part of the lubricant composition and of the desired size. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the agitating step (a) comprises stirring or ultrasonics. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the magnetic field has a strength greater than or equal to about 3000 gauss. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the magnetic field has a strength greater than or equal to about 20000 gauss. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electric field is applied using a direct current voltage to the reactor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the direct current is greater than or equal to about 6 volts. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the direct current is greater than or equal to about 12 volts. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electric field is applied using an alternating current voltage to the reactor.