LubriCAD–NATIONAL PROJECT

„Nanochemistry Solutions in Technical Lubricants Additive Improvements“

Project resume:

The main objective of the project is to develop a line of iron oxide based lubricant additives. Two promising nanoparticles have been synthesized in this area through the recently completed BlowUp project funded by the EIT RawMaterials Fund (part of Horizon 2020). In the BlowUp project, the iron oxide nanoparticles in form of cubes have shown excellent potential as the lubricant additive as indicated by the new LubriCAD logo above. The LubriCAD project will work mostly on the problematic of their stable dispersions.

Two international partners from this project will continue to support the PMF through expertise and co-financing the project by valuable highly sophisticated measurements. Specifically, support relates to TEM analysis of nanoparticles, liquid fluorescence particle size analysis, X-ray diffractometry (Italian National Scientific Council), nanotribological measurements on a state-of-the-art tribometer, and Raman spectroscopy (Salerno University).

Co-financing from the economy comes from the domestic lubricant factory „Tehnosint“. The main benefit of developing this type of additive would be the reduction of energy use in lubrication-requiring devices, which can achieve energy savings of over 40%. In Republika Srpska, this is especially important in the forestry and mining industries which use thousands of tons of lubricants. So far, international research is based on tests of copper or cobalt particles, more expensive metals whose accumulation in the environment carries health hazards, unlike iron oxide nanoparticles that will be developed through the presented project, which are non-toxic.

The largest part of the budget will be related to the procurement of the state-of-the.art infrared spectrometer for the purpose of daily sample analysis, and the project will support the young researchers for few months in order to give them realistic experience in the scientific research in nanochemistry which is the scientific field in rise currently in Republic of Srpska.

Project news:

https://hemija.pmf.unibl.org/en/state-of-the-art-infrared-spectrophotometer-ready-for-student-and-researcher-activities/

https://www.unibl.org/en/news/2021/04/reception-for-two-phd-candidates-and-their-mentors-at-the-university-of-banja-luka

Project team:

 

1.	Suzana Gotovac Atlagić Coordinator University of Banja Luka Faculty of Science Email address: suzana.gotovac.atlagic@unibl.org
2.	Vladimiro Dal Santo, Expert CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche ISTM – Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari
3.	Adolfo Senatore, Expert Università degli Studi di Salerno, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale
4.	Milica Balaban, Expert University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Science
5.	Ljiljana Tankosić, Collaborate University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Mining
6.	Sanja Pržulj, Collaborate University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Science
7.	Ivana Petrović, young researcher University of Banja Luka Faculty of Technology, master student
8.	Sunčica Sukur, young researcher University of Banja Luka Faculty of Science, student
9.	Khodor NASSER University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain Visiting Researcher, PhD Student
	Links: Ministry for scientific-technological development, higher education and information society of Republic of Srpska: Blow Up project EIT RawMaterials Tehnosint company Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectrophotometer