Introduction to Boron-CLS-Bond®

Boron-CLS-Bond - A Breakthrough in Lubrication

Boron-CLS-Bond^® technology chemically seals the host metal surfaces with a metallic boride to prevent corrosion of the metal.  Bound to this boride seal is a 200 nanometer layer of near frictionless crystalline boric acid platelets that create a solid boundary layer lubricant.

This extreme low-friction boundary layer works synergistically with the lubricant, extending the life of the lubricant while eliminating micropitting.  The crystalline platelets chemically react with the metal, creating a nearly permanent, self-replenishing boundary lubricant on virtually any metal surface.  The boride coating is covalently bound to the metal surfaces.  The molecules in each platelet have strong macromolecular bonds, giving the boundary layer the equivalency of 85% of the hardness of a diamond.

Dr. Ali Erdemir, senior scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, has spent nearly 20 years investigating the lubricious properties of boric acid.  In 1991 he received an R&D 100 award - widely considered the Oscar of Technology - for showing that microscopic particles of boric acid could dramatically reduce friction between interacting surfaces in relative motion.

Metals covered with a boric acid film exhibited coefficients of friction 40 time lower than that of Teflon™, making Erdemir's films a lubrication breakthrough.  Boric acid owes its lubricious properties to its unique natural structure.  The compound consists of a stack of crystallized layers in which the atoms tightly adhere to each other.  However, these layers stack themselves relatively far apart, so that the intermolecular bonds (called VanDer Waals forces) are comparatively weak.  When stressed, the compound's layers smear and slide over one another easily, like a strewn deck of new playing cards.  The strong bonding within each layer prevents direct contact between sliding parts, thereby lowering friction and minimizing wear.

Why This Technology was Developed

One of the challenges facing tribologists is developing a solid boundary lubrication technology that will effectively lower the present surface friction coefficient limitations and further reduce wear in fluid systems, reduce energy consumption, eliminate corrosion, extend component life and gain the highest efficiency.

The choice for triboapplications is utilizing a solid boundary additive in the carrier oil, acting as a barrier of molecules between interacting surfaces in relative motion.  Since 1975, with the introduction of ZDDP and OVER based calcium sulfonate, no new major advancements in boundary additives have occurred.

ZDDP, phosphorus, sulfur and OVER based calcium sulfonate are the common boundary additives found in all lubricating oils, whether synthetic or petroleum, including aftermarket oil additives.  These additives are highly toxic, sacrificial (deplete), inert (do not bond to metal alloy), do not spread evenly on host surfaces, and become acidic and corrosive, furthering the process of micro-pitting the host metal, eventually leading to component inefficiency and failure.

The Boric Acid technology solves this problem with a permanent boric oxide surface 85% the hardness of diamonds.

Graphite and molybdenum used as an extreme pressure addive have little lubricating value; rather they are not reactive and therefore under heavy pressure will press out, exposing metal to metal contact.

How the Patented Boron-CLS-Bond® Technology Works

1. Boric acid is introduced to a metallic substrate in the presence of water vapor.  Interaction between the substrate, water (H2O) and Boric Acid (H3BO3) forms a continuously self-replenishing film of boric oxide (B2O3) that bonds to the substrate, forming a corrosion-resistant barrier.
2. The boric oxide spontaneously reacts with the air, replenishing the boric acid.  The boric acid molecules form into crystal platelets, each of which is a triclinic lattice of molecules strongly bound together by macrocolecular covalent bonds.  Cystalline Boric Acid Platelets form Crystal Lattice Structure - CLS.
3. Aligned by the mechanical motion of the substrate, the platelets form stacked layers with very small (0.318nm) spaces between.  As a result, the inter-platelet layers are bound by weak VanDer Walls forces, allowing a very low coefficient of friction.

This Unique Molecular Structure Makes the Boron-CLS-Bond® the Most Advanced Solid Boundary Lubricant Available

The benefits of Boron-CLS-Bond lubricants have been documented by ASTM testing and infield testing under all environmental conditions.  Boron-CLS-Bond lubricants deliver the elimination of corrosion, the lowest surface coefficient of friction and the highest extreme pressure agent all in one lubricant.

• Seals metallic surfaces preventing corrosion and metal-induced hydrocarbon oxidation
• Fills asperities to smooth the poerating surface's crystalline platelets
• Establishes a ~200 nanometer low friction boundary layer of highly pressure-resistant boride by forming a chemical bond to metal alloy that will not turn acidic
• Is self-replenishing over extended operating periods
• Eliminates micro-pitting
• Eliminates hydrogen embrittlement
• Is biodegradable and non-toxic