The implications for cycling are huge!
“Freiburg (Germany) - Researchers at Germanany’s Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FG) have developed a liquid crystal lubricant that reduces friction to almost zero. Built of the same materials inside our LCD monitors, for applications like gears and bearings this new discovery may put oil out of business.
Not so pure
The liquid crystal “gel” created for LCD monitors is of the extremely pure variety. This degree of purity allows our displays to produce colors evenly across the surface without observable oddities. While ultra-pure forms of liquid crystal has been used in lubricant tests, the researchers say that much lower quality liquid crystal would provide similar results.
Bearing press
Researchers at FG built a bearing press with piping inlets on both sides to allow a constant influx of various lubricants under pressure. By spinning the bearing and pressing down from above, a sensor measures how much torque is required to keep the shaft rotating at a constant RPM. This setup was chosen because it simulates the slide-bearing form used in connecting rod and main bearings inside automotive engine.
One of the testing machines in which the researchers examine liquid crystals as lubricants: With which lubricant does the machine consume the least amount of energy? This press helps them find out. By rotating the shaft and pressing down on the block with white pipes extending out in both directions, various lubricants can be tested.
The researchers discovered that varying the type and viscosity of oil-based lubricant changed the results only slightly. Nearly all of those test results fell within a certain range which is high enough to reduce efficiency by a measurable amount. When liquid crystal lubricant were applied, however, the friction almost went away.
Dr. Andreas Kailer, head of department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, said, “In contrast to normal liquids, the molecules in liquid crystals have a certain orientation – you might compare them to matches with their heads all pointing in the same direction. [This has] not been suitable as a lubricant for ball bearings until now, as the contact pressure is too high – the friction does not drop far enough. For slide bearings, on the other hand, liquid crystals are the perfect solution.”
Kailer is working with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam and the Mainz-based company Nematel, to determine exactly which types of liquid crystals are the best lubricants. So far the results demonstrate that pretty much all of them exceed oil-based lubricants by orders of magnitude.
When will we get it?
As for the timeframe, Kailer said, “We hope to be able to market a liquid crystal lubricant in three to five years’ time.” The team is currently researching ways to modify the synthesis process to produce less pure liquid crystals, but those still suitable for high levels of lubrication.
When initially marketed, these lubricants will most likely be targeted at commercial apps, such as gears and other lower-temperature uses.
