IP Library Granted Patent US 12,415,964
Granted Patent B2
US 12,415,964 · App. 18/417,018 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

High temperature lubricants for magnetic media having aromatic linker moiety

Inventors: Daniel Demori Maksuta (San Jose, CA); Jianming Wen (Pleasanton, CA); Charles Cheng-Hsing Lee (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
C10M105/18G11B5/40G11B5/7257C10M2207/0406C10M2211/0425C10M2211/063C10N2020/069C10N2030/08C10N2040/18G11B2005/0021
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,415,964
App. No.
18/417,018
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lubricant for magnetic media according to general formula (I): Rv 1 -Rb 1 —Re 1 -Rc-Re 2 —Rb 2 -Rv 2   (I); where Rc is an optionally non-fluorinated divalent linking segment comprising a first at least one anchoring functional group engageable with a protective overcoat of a magnetic recording medium; where each Re 1 and Re 2 has a rotational energy barrier that is greater than the rotational energy barrier of CH 2 ; where each Rb 1 and Rb 2 independently is a chain segment comprising at least one of a fluoroalkyl ether moiety, a fluoroalkenyl ether moiety, a perfluoroalkyl ether moiety, a perfluoroalkenyl ether moiety, or a combination thereof; and where each of Rv 1 and Rv 2 , when present, independently each has a second at least one anchoring functional group engageable with the protective overcoat of a magnetic recording medium. —Re 1 -Rc-Re 2 may have the formula: where R L , if present, is C n M 2 , wherein M is H, and n is from 1 to 10.

Claims (54)

1. A lubricant comprising a plurality of segments according to general formula (I):

Rv 1 -Rb 1 —Re 1 -Rc-Re 2 —Rb 2 -Rv 2   (I);

wherein Rc is a non-fluorinated linear divalent linking segment comprising at least one least one first anchoring functional group engageable with a protective overcoat of a magnetic recording medium;

wherein each Re 1 and Re 2 is a moiety having a rotational energy barrier that is greater than a rotational energy barrier of CH 2 ;

wherein each Rb 1 and Rb 2 independently comprises a chain segment comprising at least one of a fluoroalkyl ether moiety, a fluoroalkenyl ether moiety, a perfluoroalkyl ether moiety, a perfluoroalkenyl ether moiety, or a combination thereof;

wherein each of Rv 1 and Rv 2 independently comprises a moiety having at least one second anchoring functional group engageable with the protective overcoat of the magnetic recording medium, and

wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of formulas (VIII) through (XIII):

and

2. A magnetic recording medium, comprising:

a magnetic recording layer on a substrate;

a protective overcoat on the magnetic recording layer; and

a lubricant layer comprising the lubricant according to claim 1 on the protective overcoat.

3. The magnetic recording medium of claim 2 , wherein the lubricant has a uniformity of about 0.2 to 0.3 Å at a lubricant thickness of between about 6 to 10 Å.

4. A data storage system, comprising:

at least one magnetic head;

a magnetic recording medium including the lubricant of claim 1 ;

a drive mechanism for positioning the at least one magnetic head over the magnetic recording medium; and

a controller electrically coupled to the at least one magnetic head for controlling operation of the at least one magnetic head.

5. A data storage system, comprising:

a slider comprising at least one magnetic head and an air bearing surface (ABS), wherein a lubricant according to claim 1 is disposed on the ABS; and

a magnetic recording medium including a magnetic recording layer;

wherein the slider is configured to write information to the magnetic recording layer using heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR).

6. The lubricant of claim 1 , having the formula (VIII):

7. The lubricant of claim 1 , having the formula (IX):

8. The lubricant of claim 1 , having the formula (X):

9. The lubricant of claim 1 , having the formula (XI):

10. The lubricant of claim 1 , having the formula (XII):

11. The lubricant of claim 1 , having the formula (XIII):

12. A lubricant comprising a plurality of segments according to general formula (I):

Rv 1 -Rb 1 —Re 1 -Rc-Re 2 —Rb 2 -Rv 2   (I);

wherein Rc is a non-fluorinated linear divalent linking segment comprising at least one first anchoring functional group engageable with a protective overcoat of a magnetic recording medium;

wherein each Re 1 and Re 2 is an aromatic ring;

wherein each Rb 1 and Rb 2 independently comprises a chain segment comprising at least one of a fluoroalkyl ether moiety, a fluoroalkenyl ether moiety, a perfluoroalkyl ether moiety, a perfluoroalkenyl ether moiety, or a combination thereof;

wherein each of Rv 1 and Rv 2 independently comprises a moiety having at least one second anchoring functional group engageable with the protective overcoat of the magnetic recording medium, and

wherein the lubricant is selected from the group consisting of formulas (VIII) through (XIII):

and

13. A magnetic recording medium, comprising:

a magnetic recording layer on a substrate;

a protective overcoat on the magnetic recording layer; and

a lubricant layer comprising the lubricant according to claim 12 on the protective overcoat.

14. The magnetic recording medium of claim 13 , wherein the lubricant has a uniformity of about 0.2 to 0.3 Å at a lubricant thickness of between about 6 to 10 Å.

15. A data storage system, comprising:

at least one magnetic head;

a magnetic recording medium including the lubricant of claim 12 ;

a drive mechanism for positioning the at least one magnetic head over the magnetic recording medium; and

a controller electrically coupled to the at least one magnetic head for controlling operation of the at least one magnetic head.

16. A data storage system, comprising:

a slider comprising at least one magnetic head and an air bearing surface (ABS), wherein a lubricant according to claim 12 is disposed on the ABS; and

a magnetic recording medium including a magnetic recording layer;

wherein the slider is configured to write information to the magnetic recording layer using heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR).

17. The lubricant of claim 12 , having the formula (VIII):

18. The lubricant of claim 12 , having the formula (IX):

19. The lubricant of claim 12 , having the formula (X):

20. The lubricant of claim 12 , having the formula (XI):

Assignments (4)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (AR) Recorded May 15, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 067417/0329 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (DDTL) Recorded Feb 22, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066648/0206 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT (AR) Recorded Feb 22, 2024
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066648/0284 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2024
From: MAKSUTA, DANIEL DEMORI; WEN, JIANMING; LEE, CHARLES CHENG-HSING
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 066180/0618 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250236805A1 · Jul 24, 2025
References Cited (30)
US 8668995B2 · Shimizu et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8734966B2 · Sagata et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9090772B2 · Tonelli et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9466322B2 · Deng et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9805755B1 · Yang · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9911447B2 · Sagata · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10442893B2 · Valsecchi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10766844B2 · Valsecchi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10947476B2 · Lu et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11308985B2 · Lu et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11572519B2 · He · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11591536B2 · Monzani et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 11898117B2 · He · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20100035083A1 · Yang et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110117386A1 · Li et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120251843A1 · Yan et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140141284A1 · Yang et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160260452A1 · Pathem · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170260472A1 · Sagata et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180268853A1 · Shimokawa et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20210246264A1 · Fontana et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220033582A1 · Sagata · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220267516A1 · Sagata et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220282176A1 · He et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220290066A1 · He et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220364008A1 · Pathem et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230038701A1 · Honda et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019039265A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
WO 2019087548A1 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US25/10803, dated May 5, 2025, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]