Information about MoS2 nanotubes, which can be used as extremely low friction, low-wear additive either to oils and to polymer coatings or as a dry lubricant for vacuum, low-temperature or/and space applications. In this case comparitive test results are shown on steel and DLC surfaces and with cooling fluids. Various laboratory tests results. Seeking investors for production / marketing.

1. MoS2 nanotubes as efficient additive to lubricants for friction
reduction at steel and DLC contacts
Inorganic solid lubricant molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a known lubricant,
which has been applied extensively for decades.
Motivation for applications:
The easy mutual gliding of MoS2 layers along
basic (001) planes
& surface inertness.
A low coefficient of friction (COF)
(0.002-0.1)
High thermal and chemical stability:
-up to 180 °C (in all media, except concentrated sulphur, nitrogen and cloric acids)
-up to 1100 °C in inert atmosphere
S
Mo
S
S
Mo
S

2. Shapes of MoS2 nanotubes
Applied Physics Letters 95
(2009) 133122
Advantages:
partial exfoliation,
thin walls
Nanotubes inside
nanotubes
Nanoscale Research Letters 2011, 6,
article number 26.
Advantages:
small size, thin walls
Size-limited nanotubes
Nanoonions inside
nanotubes
Advanced Materials 19 (2007)
4276
Advantage:
Simultaneous spherical
and cylindrical geometry
Lubrication tests were performed at The centre for tribology and technical diagnostics,
Faculty for mechanical Engineering , Univ. Ljubljana, at Jozef Stefan Institute, and at
AC2T research GmbH, Wiener Neustadt, Austria

3. Jozef Stefan Institute
MoS2 nanotubes as industrial lubricants: 5 wt.% in PAO
0
0,02
0,04
0,06
0,08
0,1
0,12
0,14
0,16
0,18
0,2
0 20 40 60 80 100
Coefficientoffrictionµ
Sliding distance [m]
PAO PAO+NT
(a) (b)
100 µm 100 µm
f = 100 m
Wear. 280/281 (2012) 36.
F
d
r
R
s
f
0
R: 7 mm
 F:10 N (1000 MPa)
 f: 50-200 m
1137 cycles, 0.1 m/s
Velocity: 5mm/s
60 % friction reduction
90 % wear reduction

4. Final friction is the same on well polished and less polished steel
Tribology International 61 (2013) 40
Ra: 0.006 µm Ra: 0.04 µm
AISI52100/DIN100Cr6
40 %
65 %
Mean Hertzian contact pressure: 700 MPa

5. Reduction of friction at the (a) steel-steel contact , and (b) DLC-DLC contact pairs
lubricated with pure base oil (PAO) and PAO with 2 wt % MoS2 nanotubes (PAO+NT)
Wear 303(2013)480
50 %40 %
New additives for ”non-reactive“ surfaces, such as DLC, and also other surfaces
that suffer from a lack of chemical compatibility with today's additives.

6. Polymer coatings: PVDF + MoS2 nanotubes
Flat-on-flat, contact pressure: 83 kPa; Ra: 2 µm
Pin-on-disc; contact
pressure: 200 kPa
Ra: 200 nm
Phys. Status Solidi A, 1–6 (2013) / DOI 10.1002/pssa.201329325
AISI 316
73 %
70 %
2 wt. % NTs
17 wt. % NTs

7. Green lubricants: vegetable oils + MoS2 nanotubes (NT)
+ 2 wt. % of MoS2 NTs
Steel (AISI 316) pin-on-disc; flat-on-flat configuration;
40 % 25 %
sunflower (SF) oil rapeseed (RS) oil

8. Slide 8
Univerza
v Ljubljani
Laboratorij za
ODREZAVANJE
Inštitut “Jožef
Stefan”
Dry
F. Pušavec, J. Kopač
in sod.
MoS2 nanotubes as additive to cooling fluids – drilling experiments
Conventional
CLF
Conventional
CLF
+ 1 % MoS2 nanotubes
Dormer A002
(conventional
tool)
Dormer A108
(high performace
tool)
Drill:
d = f 8 mm
Workpiece material:
Steinless steel
Parametrs:
f = 48 mm/min
= 0.12 mm/rev
Vc = 400 rev/min
L1 hole = 20 mm

9. CLF
CLF+MoS2 NTs (0.6% wt.%)
_____________
Fnano → -15%
15 % reduction of thrust force energy reduction

10. 0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0 5000 1 10
4
1.5 10
4
2 10
4
2.5 10
4
3 10
4
Ball-on-on-disc, 5N, 6mm ball bearing steel ball, 0.1ms, RH: 23%
nanotube powder on ASP 23
Coefficientoffriction
Number of revolutions
Uppsala University-
unpublished results
MoS2 nanotubes as dry lubricants
(for vacuum, low temperature, and space applications)
When nanotubes
were in contact,
friction was very low;
when they escape
from the contact,
friction was high.

11. MoS2 nanotubes (NTs) as hydravlic oil additive (tested in FUCHS)
Blue_ 1 wt.% of MoS2 NTs
Static friction of FRL 46 with 1 wt.% MoS2 NTs was decreased for 50 %!!
FUCHS

12. MoS2 nanotubes efficient additive in formulated commercial oils
5 wt.% MoS2 nanotubes
added to PAO4 with ZDDP (Zinc Dialkyl Dithiophosphate)
Tribol Lett (2015) 59:26, DOI 10.1007/s11249-015-0552-z
Pin-on-disc
Steel-steel contact
Sliding speed: 0.048 m/s
Stroke: 3 mm
Contact pressure: 141 MPa
The blue line is
result of MoS2
nanotubes
Test performed at
Wienna institute
for tribology: AC2T
research GmbH

13. Jozef Stefan Institute
Are MoS2 nanotubes appropriate for lubrication of hard coatings? YES
At which conditions (velocity, load) is the efficiency of MoS2 optimal?
LOW SPEED and HIGh PRESURE
Are MoS2 nanotubes better additive in lubricants than MoS2 platelets?
YES
10 mm
MoS2 nanotubes
MoS2 platelets used in
conventional tribology

14. Line test
Load: 4 in 20 N
Av. velocity: 5 mm/s (4N) in 2 cm/s (20 N)
Ball: 100Cr6, diameter 6 mm
Trace: 5mm
Hertz contact pressure: ~ 1 GPa, 2 GPa
Polyalphaolefin PAO oil,
viscosity: 48 cSt, (ExxonMobil)
2 wt.% MoS2 nanotubes (NT)
or 2 wt.% MoS2 platelets (PT) (2 µm –
purchased from Aldrich)
Tribometer-CSM Instruments,

15. S.Paskvale in sod., Wear 352-353 (2016) 72
Wear and friction in line test

16. Wear in pin-on-dics configuration as function of load

17. Jozef Stefan Institute
Advantages of MoS2 nanotubes
in relation to standard MoS2 platelets:
 Spontaneous partial exfoliation of the nanotubes, which enables effective
covering of the contact surfaces with MoS2 nanoflakes with thickness of
approx. 10 nanometers.
 This surface coating does reduce friction and acts anticorrosive due to
temperature reduction at the interface.
 Friction reduction using MoS2 nanotubes is much larger in comparison
with the standard MoS2 platelets.
 The MoS2 nanotubes can replace extreme pressure (EP) additives in oils
and greases
 They can be easily mixed into polymers for use as self-lubricative coatings.
They can be used as a dry lubricant.
 The synthesis of MoS2 nanotubes is patent protected in EU and in US.
Further information: maja.remskar@ijs.si

18. A PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF NANOTUBES AND FULLERENE-LIKE
NANOSTRUCTURES OF TRANSITION METAL DICHALCOGENIDES, QUASI ONE-
DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES OF TRANSITION METALS AND OXIDES OF
TRANSITION METALS
The object of the invention is a process for the synthesis of nanotubes of transition metal
dichalcogenides, of fullerene-like nanostructures of transition metal dichalcogenides, of
nanotubes of transition metal dichalcogenides, filled with fullerene-like nanostructures of
transition metal dichalcogenides, of quasi one-dimensional structures (nanowires,
microwires and ribbons) of transition metal oxides and of quasi one-dimensional structures
of transition metal dichalcogenides, consisting of fine crystallites of transition metal
dichalcogenides. The process is characterized in that the synthesis occurs by the chemical
transformation of quasi one-dimensional compounds with a sub-micron diameter, described
by the formula M6CyHz, 8.2<y+z≤10, where M is a transition metal (Mo, W, Ta, Nb), C is a
chalcogen (S, Se, Te), H is a halogen (I).
Patent on synthesis of MoS2 nanotubes is granted in US (US 8,007,756 B2) and Europe
(EP 2132142 B1)
IPR owner: Jozef Stefan Institute; excluse right on IPR: Nanotul Ltd (spin-off)
More information: maja.remskar@ijs.si
Prepared by Prof. Maja Remskar, Solid State Physics Department, Jozef Stefan
Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia (http://lsinr.ijs.si/)