Crumbled Graphene Balls Improve Oil Lubrication

Jan-31-16 Researchers have discovered that adding crumpled graphene balls to engine oil can improve the oil’s performance by up to 15 percent, reducing wear and saving fuel.

The crumpled graphene balls, made by drying water droplets with graphene-based sheets inside, were first developed about five years ago by Jiaxing Huang, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern University. During a demonstration of the idea, Huang realized that the balls would roll, somewhat like ball bearings. With that in mind, the team went to experiment with adding the balls to oil, where they self-dispersed to provide an extra level of lubrication not possible before.

Image: A crumpled graphene ball created by Northwestern University researchers (2011)

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