Alkyl Capped Oil Soluble Polymers for Industrial Lubricant Viscosity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial lubricants face challenges in maintaining viscosity index and low temperature viscosity, as existing viscosity index improvers often increase viscosity at low temperatures, leading to excessive frictional losses and wear in heavy-duty equipment.

Innovation Solution

The use of alkyl capped oil soluble polymers (AC-OSPs) in industrial base oils, which increase viscosity index while reducing low temperature viscosity, achieving a kinematic viscosity of 150 cSt or more at 40°C and a viscosity index of 130 or higher.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If typical viscosity index improvers (polyalkylmethacrylates or olefin block copolymers) are used, then the viscosity index increases, but the low temperature viscosity increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviscosity indexVSAvoidlow temperature viscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical structure of the viscosity index improver to include an ester linkage in the backbone and specific end groups (carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, or alkyl). This structural parameter change enables the additive to increase viscosity index while simultaneously reducing low temperature viscosity, resolving the contradiction between viscosity stability and low temperature flow properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite material principles by creating a specific type of polymer additive with ester backbone and functional end groups that combines the benefits of high viscosity index improvement with low temperature viscosity reduction. This composite molecular structure achieves both contradictory requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If industrial base oil with high kinematic viscosity (>100 cSt at 40°C) is used, then heavy duty equipment lubrication is improved, but the viscosity index tends to be lower

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelubrication film strengthVSAvoidviscosity index
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a specifically structured viscosity index improver with ester backbone and functional end groups that can effectively increase the viscosity index of high viscosity industrial base oils without compromising their inherent lubrication film strength, thus resolving the contradiction between film strength and viscosity index.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11193083B2Alkyl capped oil soluble polymer viscosity index improving additives for base oils in industrial lubricant applications
Publication Date: 2021.12.07 DOW GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

An industrial base oil formulation comprising a base oil, preferably a hydrocarbon base oil, having a kinematic viscosity of more than 100 centiStokes, preferably 150 centiStokes or more, at 40 degrees Celsius and an AC-OSP where the AC-OSP has the structure of Formula I: R1[O(R2O)n(R3O)mR4]p (I) where R1 is an alkyl having from one to thirty carbons, R2 and R3 are independently selected from alkyl groups having three or four carbons and can be in block form or randomly combined, R4 is an alkyl having from one to 18 carbon atoms, n and m are independently numbers ranging from zero to 20 provided that n+m is greater than zero and p is a number within a range of one to three; wherein the industrial base oil formulation has a kinematic viscosity of greater than 100 centiStokes, preferably 150 centiStokes or more, at 40 degrees Celsius is useful in a lubricant for mechanical devices.