Vegetable-Oil-Based Lubricant with a Scalable Green Synthesis Method
ID# 2009-3627
Technology Summary
The disclosed invention is a bio-based anti-friction/anti-wear additive that demonstrates significant improvement in friction and “wear and tear” protection compared to commercial additives of mineral oil origin. The invention is a process that optimizes a synthetic route to convert any vegetable oil that contains some double bonds into a boron-containing molecule that demonstrates improved friction and wear properties compared to petroleum-derived additives.
Application & Market Utility
This technology’s advantages include the use of readily available raw materials, non-toxic byproducts, and the potential to deliver better properties when compared to currently available mineral oil-based technology. Lubricant additive compounds are premium-priced and highly application-specific. This technology provides a bio-based compound that can deliver better functional properties compared to existing commercial additives at a lower price using renewable resources (vegetable oil) and presents a green methodology that can be easily adopted for commercial scale-up.
Next Steps
Seeking research collaboration and licensing opportunities.