Nanomaterials Create a New Class of Lubricant
A breakthrough in nanotechnology is forming the next generation for metal protection.
In the world of metalworking and machinery, the performance and longevity of components rely heavily on lubricant quality. Traditional lubricants reduce friction and wear, but as demands for efficiency and durability grow, so does the need for innovation.
Enter nanomaterials—the tiny yet powerful substances which have been revolutionising industries from electronics to construction and from pharmaceuticals to arms manufacturing. Now, these cutting-edge materials are enhancing lubricants, offering superior thermal stability, reduced friction, and improved surface protection. Most significantly, nanomaterial additives can lead to savings in energy and machine wear, and therefore cost reduction.
The latest nanotechnology breakthrough in the field of lubricants has now been made at TU Wien with research groups led by Prof. Dominik Eder and Prof. Carsten Gachot. This collaboration of material scientists has created a lubricant which is not liquid, like a typical lubricating oil, but a nanomaterial-based powdery solid substance called COK-47.
It is a discovery which revolves around the manipulation of substances at the nanoscale in metal-organic frameworks.
Called MOFs for short, metal-organic frameworks are a new class of porous materials made of metal ions or clusters connected to organic molecules. Thanks to their high surface area, tunable structure, and chemical versatility, MOFs have a wide range of applications, such as gas and energy storage, water purification, drug delivery, and catalysts.
But the COK-47 MOFs creatd at TU Wien have different qualities that give them a property highly desired in manufacturing. As Pablo Ayala, one of the study’s co-authors, states, “the material COK-47 has an important special feature—2D sheets of titanium ooxide—and this dramatically influences its behaviour.”
A report in the journal Nanotechnology World explains the science behind this cost-saving application of nanomaterials. “On a nanoscale, it [the lubricant] consists of stacks of atomically thin sheets, like a tiny stack of cards. When the material comes into contact with water molecules, these platelets can slide past each other very easily - a so-called tribofilm is created, which ensures extremely low friction. This makes COK-47 a highly interesting lubricant in humid conditions.”
The effectiveness of the lubricant has also been proven, with the study, which has now been published in the journal Advanced Science, stating how “… COK-47 powder [made from a metal–organic framework of Ti-based nanoparticles] can achieve a low COF (≈0.1) in 40% RH room air during AISI 304 steel-on-steel sliding. In addition, COK-47 demonstrated significant friction reduction when applied with different counterbodies such as Al2O3, ZrO2, SiC, and Si3N4.”
“We compared COK-47 with other lubricants from the class of metal-organic framework compounds that are often used today. COK-47 showed a significantly lower coefficient of friction than the others,” explains engineer Hanglin Li, the study’s first author. “COK-47 is also significantly more durable compared to other 2D materials - another important criterion in practice.”
The development of COK-47 marks a major breakthrough in the evolution of industrial lubricants. By harnessing the unique properties of metal-organic frameworks, researchers at TU Wien have created a solid-state nanolubricant that outperforms many existing alternatives—not only in friction reduction but also in durability and adaptability across various materials and environments.
This innovation stands to greatly benefit industries reliant on metal components, offering improved machine efficiency, longer equipment lifespan, and reduced energy consumption. This is because, unlike conventional oils, COK-47 functions effectively in humid conditions due to its ability to form a tribofilm of atomically thin titanium oxide sheets, dramatically reducing wear.
As global industries increasingly focus on sustainability and cost-efficiency, materials like COK-47 highlight the powerful role nanotechnology can play in redesigning traditional solutions.
Looking ahead, continued exploration of MOFs and other advanced nanomaterials may lead to even greater performance gains, not just in lubricants, but across the full spectrum of manufacturing and mechanical engineering.
Thanks to nanotechnology, the manufacturing sector may be witnessing the beginning of a new era in surface protection and machinery performance.