High performance ski wax composition and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a ski wax composition including superhydrophobic carbon nano particles (CNPs) and a preparation method thereof, and more particularly, to a ski wax composition including a wax and superhydrophobic CNPs and a preparation method thereof. According to the present invention, since the hydrophobicity and retention capacity of the wax can be increased, friction reducing performance of a ski wax can be increased on an ice surface or a snow surface. In addition, since the superhydrophobic CNPs, which can be easily prepared, are used, the productivity of the ski wax composition can be improved and superb friction reducing performance can be exhibited. Further, since the superhydrophobic CNPs are dispersed into the wax by a simple sonication process, a problem caused by adding a surfactant can be solved. Therefore, the ski wax composition according to the present disclosure can be widely applied to industrial fields associated with the winter sports, including skiing.

Claims

1. A ski wax composition comprising: a wax; and diamond like carbon nano particles.

2. The ski wax composition of claim 1, further comprising a wax additive.

3. The ski wax composition of claim 2, wherein the wax additive is fluoroalkane or perfluoroalkane.

4. The ski wax composition of claim 1, wherein the diamond like carbon nano particles are contained in an amount of from 0.5% to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

5. The ski wax composition of claim 1, wherein the wax is an alkane in a solid phase at room temperature.

6. A preparation method of a ski wax composition comprising: (a) adding diamond like carbon nano particles to a wax; and (b) performing sonication.

7. The preparation method of claim 6, wherein (a) further comprises adding a wax additive.

8. The preparation method of claim 7, wherein in (a), the wax additive is fluoroalkane or perfluoroalkane.

9. The preparation method of claim 6, wherein (a) comprises adding 0.5% to 10% by weight of the diamond like carbon nano particles, based on the total weight of the composition.

10. The preparation method of claim 6, wherein in (a), the wax is an alkane in a solid phase at room temperature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates friction reducing performance of ski wax composition according to the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates structures of a wax and a wax additive included in the ski wax composition according to the present disclosure.

(3) FIG. 3 is a graphical representation for comparison of friction reducing performance of a ski wax composition according to the present disclosure and common waxes.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates friction reducing performance depending on mass fraction of added DLC nano particles.

(5) FIG. 5 is a photograph showing paraffin waxes with DLC nano particles added thereto in various amounts.

(6) FIG. 6 illustrates AFM images of a common wax and a ski wax composition of the present disclosure.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

(7) Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Generally, the nomenclature used herein is method well known and commonly employed in the art.

(8) The present disclosure relates a ski wax composition, and a preparation method thereof, which can improve the hydrophobicity and retention capacity of the wax can be increased by adding superhydrophobic CNPs to the wax, thereby maximizing friction reducing performance of a ski wax on an ice surface or a snow surface (FIG. 1).

(9) The superhydrophobic carbon nano particles used herein specifically refer to carbon or hydrocarbon particles having superhydrophobicity. The superhydrophobic carbon nano particles are preferably diamond like carbon (DLC) nano particles, which may be prepared by glow discharging C.sub.2H.sub.2 under a high pressure. The DLC nano particles have a diameter in the range of 30 to 50 nm and a contact angle of approximately 128 (Dai, Wei, et al., Porous carbon nanoparticle networks with tunable absorbability, Scientific reports 3 (2013): 2524).

(10) In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a ski wax composition including a wax and superhydrophobic carbon nano particles (CNPs) (DLC nano particles).

(11) In the present disclosure, the ski wax composition may further include a wax additive.

(12) In the present disclosure, the superhydrophobic CNPs are contained in the ski wax composition preferably in an amount of 0.5 to 10% by weight, more preferably in an amount of 2.5% by weight. If the amount of the superhydrophobic CNPs is less than 0.5% by weight, a friction reducing effect is negligibly low. If the amount of the superhydrophobic CNPs is greater than 10% by weight, a noticeable change in the friction reducing effect is not exhibited, suggesting that the cost effectiveness is lowered.

(13) In the present disclosure, the wax may be alkane in a solid phase at room temperature, preferably C20-C60 alkane, and the wax additive may be fluoroalkane or perfluoroalkane, but not limited thereto (FIG. 2).

(14) In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a preparation method of a ski wax composition comprising the steps of (a) adding superhydrophobic CNPs to a wax, and (b) performing sonication.

(15) In the present disclosure, the step (a) may further include adding a wax additive.

(16) In the present disclosure, the step (a) may include adding 0.5 to 10%, more preferably 2.5%, by weight of the superhydrophobic CNPs. If the amount of the superhydrophobic CNPs is less than 0.5% by weight, a friction reducing effect is negligibly low. If the amount of the superhydrophobic CNPs is greater than 10% by weight, a noticeable change in the friction reducing effect is not exhibited, suggesting that the cost effectiveness is lowered.

(17) In the present disclosure, the wax in the step (a) may be alkane in a solid phase at room temperature, preferably C20-C60 alkane, and the wax additive in the step (a) may be fluoroalkane or perfluoroalkane (FIG. 2).

EXAMPLES

(18) Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in further detail with reference to examples. It will be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that these examples are illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the substantial scope of the present disclosure will be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

Example 1: Preparation of Ski Wax Composition

(19) A ski wax composition was prepared by adding 0.5 to 10% by weight of DLC nano particles (Dai, Wei, et al., Porous carbon nanoparticle networks with tunable absorbability, Scientific reports 3 (2013): 2524) using a common wax (Racing mix wet, Holmenkol) as a base.

(20) The common wax and the DLC nano particles were together transferred to a vessel and then hermetically sealed. Thereafter, the wax was heated in a water bath or melted in an oven maintained at a temperature of 120 C. to allow the DLC nano particles to be soaked into the wax. Then, boiled water was put into a sonicator, and the wax was taken out from the water bath or the oven to then be immediately transferred to the sonicator, followed by performing sonication for one minute. According to the kind of common wax used, the cycle of heating the wax in the water bath or the melting the wax in the oven and performing sonication was repeated once or twice. After cooling, the resultant product was taken out from the vessel, thereby completing the ski wax composition.

Example 2: Analysis of Friction Reducing Performance of Ski Wax Composition

(21) In order to confirm the friction reducing effect of the ski wax composition prepared in Example 1, two kinds of common waxes (i.e., Main Wax HF manufactured by Vola and Racing Mix Wet manufactured by Holmenkol) and the ski wax composition prepared in Example 1 (i.e., Wax+CNP) were compared and analyzed in terms of friction reducing performance.

(22) Friction coefficients were measured using a rotary type friction tester (Micro Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Seoul National University), and as a result, it was confirmed that the ski wax composition prepared in Example 1 (Wax+CNP), which contained DLC nano particles added in an amount of 5% by weight, showed an approximately 20% reduction in the friction coefficient, compared to the common waxes (FIG. 3). In addition, the friction coefficients depending on the DLC mass fraction (%) were measured. The measurement result was confirmed that the highest friction reducing effect was demonstrated when the DLC mass fraction was 2.5% (FIG. 4).

(23) In addition, DLC nano particles in amounts of 0.6%, 1.2%, 2.5% and 5% by weight were added to paraffin waxes in the same manner as in Example 1, and appearances of the mixtures were observed (FIG. 5). Additionally, DLC nano particles in amounts of 5% by weight were added to paraffin waxes in the same manner as in Example 1, and the resultant product was photographed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). As a result, unlike the common waxes, it was confirmed that the resultant product had CNPs protruding on its surface to have increased hydrophobicity (FIG. 6).

(24) Consequently, it was conformed that the CNPs exposed on the surface of the ski wax composition made adhesion with respect to the ice surface decreased, and rendered friction reducing performance.

(25) Although the present disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the specific features, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this description is only for a preferred embodiment and does not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the substantial scope of the present disclosure will be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.