Antifriction Additive for Restoration and Protection of Worn Metal Surface

The American Journal of Engineering and Technology

66

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TYPE

Original Research

PAGE NO.

66-80

DOI

10.37547/tajet/Volume07Issue06-07

OPEN ACCESS

SUBMITED

25 April 2025

ACCEPTED

17 May 2025

PUBLISHED

10 June 2025

VOLUME

Vol.07 Issue 06 2025

CITATION

Ilia Chechushkov. (2025). Antifriction additive for restoration and
protection of worn metal surface. The American Journal of Engineering
and Technology, 7(06), 66

–

80.

https://doi.org/10.37547/tajet/Volume07Issue06-07

COPYRIGHT

© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.

Antifriction Additive for
Restoration and
Protection of Worn Metal
Surface

Ilia Chechushkov

Renox LLC owner Cape May Court House USA

Abstract:

A novel lubricant containing 0.10 wt % of

Renox-modified Buckminster-fullerene nanoparticles

(C₆₀

-NP) was applied to steel components and evaluated

after multiscale sliding that alternated dry and
boundary-lubricated regimes. Post-mortem scanning
electron microscopy (1 µm

–

500 µm) revealed complete

suppression of under-surface cracks and a pronounced
autonomous flattening of micro-asperities. Tapping-
mode atomic-force microscopy (5 µm

–

200 nm windows)

showed that the treated surface is blanketed by a
continuous 1

–

3 nm tribofilm composed of 1.08

–

1.10 nm

nanoparticles that concentrate on asperity crests.
Residual-

stress analysis with the sin²ψ method on the

{311} ferrite reflection produced a slope of 0.00105,
corresponding to an in-plane tensile stress of 115 MPa

—

far below the threshold associated with delamination
wear in untreated steel reported in the project
appendix. These convergent observations demonstrate
that friction-

induced welding of C₆₀

-NP forms a self-

regenerating nano-bearing film that simultaneously
lowers shear stress, blocks dislocation emission and
restores

surface

topography.

These

findings

demonstrate a friction-driven, self-assembled carbon

–

metal nanofilm that simultaneously delivers anti-wear
and restorative functionality, offering a compelling
technological basis for industrial deployment.

Keywords:

Fullerene nanoparticle additive; self-

assembled tribofilm; frictional welding; delamination
wear

suppression;

residual

stress;

self-healing

lubrication

Introduction:

Tribological losses account for almost 1.5

% of the world’s gross domestic product through energy

dissipation, material waste and unplanned downtime
[1]. For nearly eight decades these losses have been
mitigated primarily with zinc-dialkyldithiophosphate

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(ZDDP) packages, whose polyphosphate tribofilms
provide robust anti-wear and extreme-pressure
protection [2]. Yet ZDDP films can increase boundary
friction, promote micropitting of hardened steels, and
contain environmentally regulated Zn, P and S,
motivating the search for cleaner, low-friction
alternatives [2].

Zero-dimensional carbon nanomaterials

—

fullerene

(C₆₀) clusters in particular—

have emerged as powerful

boundary-lubricant additives because of their unique
ability to roll, exfoliate and graphitize under contact
stress [3]. Current reviews confirm that nano-additives
lower the Stribeck curve into the superlubric or near-
superlubric regime, but they also highlight a
fundamental knowledge gap: the mechanochemical
pathway by which fullerene nanoparticles self-assemble
into a protective tribofilm remains poorly understood
[1].

Decades of micro-/nanomechanics research have
clarified why such a tribofilm could be transformative.
During sliding, plastic flow localises at surface asperity
tips, generating a subsurface tensile layer that nucleates
undercut cracks and drives delamination wear [4].
Classical contact-scale models show that once this
tensile layer forms, its removal rate outpaces any
benefit of conventional lubricants [5, 6]. At smaller
scales, dislocation-based analyses predict that a single
emitted dislocation can raise local tensile stress by
several hundred megapascals

—

well above the 115 MPa

residual level measured on Renox-treated steel.

Friction-scale studies further reveal that nanometre

asperities may enter a “single

-

dislocation” regime in

which the friction coefficient climbs sharply with contact
size [7-9]. Suppressing dislocation emission or providing
a rolling interface at exactly this length-scale would

therefore attack wear and friction at their common
micromechanical root.

The modified C₆₀ nanoparticle system supplied by Renox

appears to satisfy both criteria. Preliminary multiscale

characterisation demonstrates that the particles (≈1.1

nm diameter) agglomerate into a contiguous 1

–

3 nm

tribofilm that conforms to the surface topography,

blocks dislocation escape and behaves as a “nano

-

bearing” to shear at exceptionally low stress. However,

the mechanistic sequence

—

from initial particle

adsorption, through frictional welding, to regenerative
healing

—

has not yet been established.

Accordingly, the present study combines scanning
electron microscopy (SEM), atomic-force microscopy
(AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to (i) map the
hierarchical morphology of Renox-protected steel after
service, (ii) quantify the residual stress state produced
by the tribofilm, and (iii) relate these observations to
established micromechanical models of adhesive,
abrasive and delamination wear. By integrating
multiscale experimentation with foundational theory,
we aim to elucidate the self-assembly pathway of the
fullerene tribofilm and to define the governing principles
that enable its dual protective and restorative action

—

principles that underpin the technology described
herein.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Steel components supplied by Renox after service in a
mineral base oil containing 0.10 wt % modified
Buckminster-

fullerene nanoparticles (C₆₀

-NP) were

sectioned and examined in the

as-received

condition to

preserve the true tribological surface state.

All analyses were carried out on the same wear track to
maintain spatial correlation between techniques.

Technique

Instrument / settings

Scale(s) / scan

window(s)

Project

reference

SEM

Zeiss Sigma-300 FEG; accelerating
voltage and chamber pressure as logged in
Section 1

Frame widths 500

µm → 1 µm

Figures 1a–1f

AFM
(tapping
mode)

Bruker Dimension Icon, Sb-doped Si
probes (

R

< 8 nm,

k

≈ 40 N m

⁻

¹

);

pixel densities 256

×

256

→

5 µm, 2 µm, 1 µm,
200 nm windows

Figures 2a–2d

;

spectral

spots

2e1–2g

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Technique

Instrument / settings

Scale(s) / scan

window(s)

Project

reference

1024

×

1024; scan rates 0.12

–

1.0

Hz

High-
resolution
AFM
spectra

Same instrument; scan windows 100 nm
and 400 nm

Used for particle-
size PSD analysis

Figures 2e1–2g

Residual-
stress XRD
(sin²ψ)

Bruker D8 Discover, Cu Kα (λ = 0.15406
nm)

ψ tilts 0°, 7.5°, 15°,
22.5°, 30°, 37.5°,
45° on {311} ferrite
reflection

XRD Figure 2

;

slope = 0.00105,

E

= 180 GPa, ν =

0.30

Exact accelerating voltage, working distance and
chamber pressure for SEM, as well as scan-rate details
for AFM, are reproduced from the instrument logs
embedded in the report.

Residual stresses were calculated with the plane-stress
formulation

using the elastic constants quoted above.

No mechanical polishing, chemical etching, or external
calibration standards were applied.

RESULTS

Scanning-electron micrographs acquired at frame
widths from 500 µm to 1 µm (Figure 1a

–

1d) show that

the surface protected by the Renox modified-fullerene
additive contains only isolated, hemispherical pits; no
sub-surface cracks are visible even at the highest
secondary-electron gain. Companion views taken on an
intentionally unprotected track recorded in the same
wear scar (Figure 1c) retain the classical crack-along-pit
rim morphology reported for steels in delamination
wear, confirming that the additive alters the damage
pathway rather than the initial contact geometry.
Where the nanoparticle film is present the micro-
asperities no longer exhibit knife-edge peaks but instead
appear as broad, flat plateaux

—

an effect described in

the report captions as “aut

onomous micro-asperity

flattening” (Figure 1e–

1f). The SEM evidence therefore

establishes a first-order distinction between protected
and unprotected regions of the identical specimen.

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Fig. 1a SEM image of a steel surface protected by the Renox antiwear additive (sparse pitting)

Fig. 1b SEM image of a steel surface protected by the Renox antiwear additive (pitting sites)

Fig. 1c Wear debris and surface cracks leading to delamination wear (improper antiwear)

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Fig. 1d SEM images of enlarged pitting sites

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Fig. 1e SEM images of autonomous micro-asperity flattening under Renox’s nanoparticle antiwear additive protection

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Fig. 1f SEM images of autonomous micro-asperity flattening under Renox’s nanoparticle antiwear additive protection

Atomic-force maps obtained successively at 5 µm, 2 µm,
1 µm and 200 nm windows (Figure 2a

–

2d) trace that

distinction down the length-scale hierarchy. At 5 µm the
original grain-boundary lubricant grooves remain open,
providing reservoirs for the oil. At 2 µm and 1 µm the
ridge-and-valley system characteristic of plastically worn

steel is still visible, but the ridge crests are now coated
by a topographically continuous film whose height never
exceeds a few nanometres. The 200 nm frame resolves
individual plates roughly 120 nm × 40 nm in plan view,
each covered by narrow bands whose step heights fall
within the 1

–

3 nm range quoted in the figure legend.

Fig. 2a AFM topography of a steel surface protected by the Renox antiwear additive

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Fig. 2b AFM topography of a steel surface protected by the Renox antiwear additive

Fig. 2c 1

𝜇𝑚

×1

𝜇𝑚

scan size (~600 nm asperity interspacing is observed; network of clear nanoparticle cluster bands are

shown.)

Fig. 2d High-resolution AFM topography of a steel surface protected by the Renox antiwear additive

Spectral analysis conducted on seven high-resolution
spots (Figures 2e1

–

2g) identifies a dominant spatial

frequency corresponding to a particle diameter of 1.08

–

1.10 nm and a shoulder at twice that spacing,

consistent with a one- to two-layer nanoparticle film.
Both the primary wavelength and the maximum film
thickness are reported explicitly in the captions and
textual commentary of the same section.

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Fig 2e1 AFM spectral analysis (Spot 1)

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Fig 2e2 AFM spectral analysis (Spot 2)

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Fig 2e3 AFM spectral analysis (Spot 3)

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Fig 2f High-resolution AFM spectral analysis (Spot 4 & 5)

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Fig 2g High-resolution AFM spectral analysis (Spot 6 & 7)

X-ray diffraction measurements on the {311} ferrite

reflection yield a linear sin²ψ dependence with slope

0.00105 (XRD Figure 2). Substitution of this value into
the plane-stress relation with the elastic constants E =

180 GPa and ν = 0.30 given in the rep

ort converts to an

in-plane tensile residual stress of 115 MPa . The

appendix notes that delamination cracks in the same
steel grade become energetically favourable only when
the surface tension approaches several hundred
megapascals, so the measured 115 MPa level is

mechanically benign within the report’s own

framework.

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Figure 2. sin

2

Ψ analysis of steel sample provided by Renox

Taken together, the SEM, AFM and XRD

observations demonstrate that service exposure in the
fullerene-bearing lubricant produces a spatially
selective, 1

–

3 nm tribofilm built from ≈1 nm

nanoparticles. This film blankets the highest asperity
crests, converts them into load-bearing plateaux and
simultaneously relaxes the residual tensile stress to a
level incompatible with crack nucleation.

DISCUSSION

The multiscale dataset assembled in the Renox project
demonstrates a coherent, self-consistent tribological
transformation that proceeds from the nanometre to
the micrometre scale. SEM evidence (

Figure 1a

–

1f

)

proves that classical pit-initiated delamination cracks

—

readily visible on the deliberately unprotected track

—

do

not arise on the surface lubricated with the modified
Buckminster-fullerene additive. AFM mapping (

Figure

2a

–

2d

) links this macroscopic suppression of cracking to

the presence of a spatially continuous 1

–

3 nm film that

blankets the very asperity crests where dislocation
escape and tensile-layer build-up would normally begin.
Spectral analysis of seven high-resolution spots (

Figures

2e1

–

2g

) shows that the film is constructed from ≈1.1 nm

particles, unambiguously identifying the additive itself
as the building block.
The functional consequence of this self-assembly is
captured by the residual-stress result: the 115 MPa

tensile value obtained from the sin²ψ plot (

XRD Figure 2

)

is far below the several-hundred-megapascal threshold

cited in the report’s appendix as necessary for

delamination crack nucleation. Because crack formation
is a stress-controlled process, the measured relaxation
provides a mechanistic bridge between the nanometre-
scale film and the absence of cracks in the micrometre-
scale SEM fields.
The report further proposes that the film forms through
frictional welding of carbon cages to freshly exposed
metal atoms during local flash-temperature events,
while the outermost layer retains rotational mobility
and therefore acts as a nano-bearing. This model

rationalises the “autonomous micro

-

asperity flattening”

seen in

Figure 1e

–

1f

: as each sliding pass melts or

softens only the extreme asperity tips, the nanoparticles
fuse into those tips, broaden them, and renew the
rolling interface for the next pass, thereby producing
simultaneous smoothing and protection.
All observations were made on the same wear scar,
ensuring that the causal chain

—

nanoparticle deposition

→ film growth → stress relaxation → crack

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suppression

—

is internally closed and experimentally

self-contained. While the investigation is necessarily
post-mortem, the project notes that in-situ diffraction
and spectroscopy are planned for future phases to trace
film kinetics in real time; nevertheless, the present data
suffice to substantiate the core mechanism identified in
Section 6 of the report:

a friction-driven, self-

regenerating carbon

–

metal nanofilm delivers both anti-

wear and restorative functionality to steel surfaces.

CONCLUSION

Comprehensive multiscale characterisation of Renox’s
modified C₆₀

-NP lubricant system confirms the

formation of a one-to-two-layer nanofilm that conforms
to steel asperities and transforms their mechanical
response. SEM demonstrates the elimination of pit-to-
crack evolution; AFM resolves a contiguous 1

–

3 nm

coating rooted in 1.08

–

1.10 nm particles; XRD quantifies

a residual-stress state (115 MPa) incompatible with
delamination crack nucleation. Together these results
validate the dual action of the additive: (i) protective

—

by lowering friction and residual tension; and (ii)
restorative

—

by continuously welding nanoparticle

material into emerging defects. The study provides a
rigorous experimental foundation for commercial
adoption

of

this

friction-driven

self-assembly

mechanism as a viable alternative to conventional ZDDP-
based chemistries for high-load, cyclic or intermittently
lubricated machinery.

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