Abstract:
The thesis presented the information on Sri Lankan natural vein graphite resource, world
nanotechnological approaches in tribology and the connection between nanotechnology,
tribology and Sri Lankan vein graphite.
Along with the case study on chronological timeline of vein graphite, exploitation started in
1829, peaks at 1916 and has been dropped down since 1917. Considerable damage for
graphite resource of Sri Lanka has happened in British colonial era. The market analysis of
graphite export industry in Sri Lanka indicates several reasons for decline of graphite
export market. The potential of graphite based industries are broad due to its versatile
properties without any processing. With the discovery of graphene the importance of
graphite moves to a new era of advancement in applications. Therefore Sri Lankan vein
Graphite should not be supply to outside of the country without value addition. Need to
come*up local investor and technologists to start new graphite era.
In nanotechnology, tribology using nanometerials is a burgeoning research field and there
are few nanolubricant products in the market. Information on world tribological
approaches on nonmaterial is reviewed. Carbon, Metal dichalcogenides, soft metals, boron
based materials and some micelles and encapsulated materials are under exploration of
advance tribology.
Further to the lab identifications and literature reviews reflected the potential of nano*
engineered lubricant using natural vein graphite. PFD for vein graphite based
nanolubricant is presented with some optimization options and advanced techniques as the
recommendation for future work.
