Ashless Ionic Liquid Composition for Friction Control in Base Oils
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ionic liquids used as lubricants and lubricant additives are often too expensive, contain harmful halides causing corrosion, or have toxic metallate-based cations, and are not suitable for non-polar base oils due to high polarity.
Innovation Solution
Development of ashless ionic liquids derived from carboxylic acids and alcohols/amines with tunable polarity, containing carboxylate and ester/amide groups, suitable for a wide range of uses including friction modification in base oils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ionic liquids are used as friction modifiers, then friction reduction and anti-wear properties are achieved, but they contain harmful halides causing corrosion and toxic metallate-based cations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of ionic liquids by using carboxylic acids and alcohols/amines to create ashless ionic liquids with carboxylate and ester/amide groups, eliminating harmful halides and metallate cations while maintaining friction reduction and anti-wear properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive and harmful conventional ionic liquid components with more environmentally friendly carboxylic acid and alcohol/amine derivatives that are less toxic and do not produce harmful ash residues, making them suitable for widespread use
2Object-affected harmful factors
If carboxylic acids are used as starting materials for ionic liquids, then environmental friendliness is improved, but they are too polar for use in highly non-polar base oils
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite ionic liquid structures by combining carboxylic acid-derived anions with alcohol/amine components, producing molecules that have both polar carboxylate groups for environmental friendliness and non-polar ester/amide groups for compatibility with non-polar base oils
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by having different parts of the ionic liquid molecule serve different functions: the carboxylate group provides environmental friendliness and the ester/amide groups provide compatibility with non-polar base oils, allowing the molecule to satisfy multiple requirements simultaneously
3Reliability
If ionic liquids with high polarity are used, then friction reduction effectiveness is improved, but they are not suitable for use in highly non-polar base oils
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs composite ionic liquid molecules with dual character: polar carboxylate groups that provide friction reduction effectiveness and non-polar ester/amide groups that ensure solubility in non-polar base oils
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the polarity parameters of ionic liquids by incorporating both polar and non-polar functional groups in the molecular structure, creating amphiphilic ionic liquids that can effectively reduce friction in non-polar base oils
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ionic liquids provide effective friction reduction and anti-wear properties in base oils, are environmentally friendly, and can act as surfactants, with significant friction reduction and wear scar diameter reduction observed in tribology tests.
Implementation Method 1
ionic liquids have been investigated as lubricants and lubricant additives over two decades due to intrinsic properties such as high polarity, low vapor pressure, high thermal stability
Implementation Method 2
an anionic portion that comprises: at least one carboxylate group; and at least one ester group and/or at least one amide group
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is an ionic liquid comprising: an anionic portion that comprises: at least one carboxylate group; and at least one ester group and/or at least one amide group; and a cationic portion having formula A: A, where: X represents a cationic species; and a and n are selected to approximately balance the charge of the ionic liquid, wherein the ionic liquid is ashless.