BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION OF NOVEL DEUTERATED LUBRICANTS

THE PRODUCTION OF DEUTERIUM-SUBSTITUTED OILS BY AUTOTROPHIC GROWTH OF CERTAIN ALGAL SPECIES IN DEUTERIUM OXIDE WILL BE INVESTIGATED. DUE TO THE INCREASED CARBON- DEUTERIUM BOND STRENGTH, DEUTERATED LUBRICANT OILS AND GREASES EXHIBIT SUPERIOR CAPABILITIES UNDER TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE EXTREMES COMPARED TO THE EQUIVALENT HYDROCARBONS. THE INCREASED FUNCTIONAL LIFETIMES OF THESE COMPOUNDS HAVE MADE THEM A STRATEGIC COMMODITY IN EQUIPMENT WITH A RAPID LUBRICANT FAILURE. THE HIGH COST OF CHEMICAL DEUTERATION HAS RESULTED IN A HIGH COST PRODUCT WITH ITS USE LIMITED TO EQUIPMENT WHOSE "DOWN-TIME" IS EITHER EXPENSIVE, OR THREATENING TO THE COUNTRY'S NATIONAL SECURITY. MANY UNICELLULAR ALGAE PRODUCE LARGE QUANTITIES OF OILS AS FOOD STORAGE COMPOUNDS AND CAN BE GROWN AUTOTROPHICALLY IN CULTURE REQUIRING ONLY LIGHT CARBON DIOXIDE WATER AND A FEW MINERALS. WE PROPOSE TO GROW THESE ALGAL SPECIES AUTOTROPHICALLY IN THE PRESENCE OF 99.7% DEUTERIUM OXIDE (D2O), THEREBY REPLACING ALL THE CELLULAR HYDROGEN WITH DEUTERIUM AND BILOGICALLY PRODUCING PERDEUTERATED HYDROCARBONS. OUR PROGRAM OBJECTIVES ARE FOURFOLD: DEFINE OPTIMAL CULTURE CONDITIONS AND SELECT STRAINS OF OIL-PRODUCING ALGAE WHICH EXHIBIT EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH IN 99.7% D2O. IDENTIFY PROCEDURES FOR EFFICIENT HARVEST OF THE CULTURES, EXTRACTION OF THE PERDEUTERATED OILS AND RECYCLING OF THE D2O. CHARACTERIZE THE LIPID COMPONENTS PRODUCED BY THE PIL-PRODUCING ALGAE DURING CULTURE IN D2O. DESIGN A TEST BED FOR COMPARISON OF THE LUBRICATION CAPABILITIES OF THE OILS EXTRACTED FROM THE ALGAE. THE POTENTIAL COST REDUCTION OF THE DEUTERATED LUBRICANTS WHEN PRODUCED BIOLOGICALLY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY INCREASE THE SCOPE FOR THE USE OF THESE HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPOUNDS.