SBIR-STTR Award

Pixelligent, teamed with the Tribology Group at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), proposes a 6 months, $150K STTR Phase I project to demonstrate a proof-of-concept for a fuel-efficient nano-fluid gear oil based on Pixelligents advanced nano-additives. If successful, this will pave the way to develop innovative lubricants for gear boxes that can improve fuel economy by >2% for vehicles and heavy machineries. This technology not only dovetails into the general industrial progressive trend of energy-saving lubricants, but it also provides compatibility with legacy vehicles and equipment.

Improving vehicle fuel efficiency for the military can significantly reduce costs and reduce risk to solider safety. One way to improve vehicle efficiency for new and legacy vehicles is to reduce frictional loses in the drivetrain through use of lower viscosity lubricants. However, this comes with the risk of reducing durability of drivetrain components through increased wear, pitting and scuffing. To enable the use of low viscosity, high-efficiency lubricants, new lubricant and additive technologies are needed which overcome durability challenges. The focus of this Phase II project will be to further develop a suitable lubricant additive technology, evaluating potential risks of implementation and advancing its readiness level.