Esterified Polyalkylene Glycol Viscosity Index Improvers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrocarbon base oils, especially those with lower viscosity indices, face challenges in maintaining consistent viscosity across temperature ranges, leading to issues with fuel efficiency and engine wear, and existing viscosity index improvers often increase low-temperature viscosity, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A hydrocarbon lubricant composition comprising a modified Oil-Soluble Polyalkylene Glycol (OSP) and a polar viscosity improver, which improves viscosity index while reducing low-temperature viscosity without increasing high-temperature viscosity, achieved by dissolving the polar viscosity improver in an esterified polyalkylene glycol and mixing it with a hydrocarbon base oil.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If viscosity index improvers are added to increase the viscosity index, then the viscosity index is improved, but the low temperature viscosity significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of the viscosity index improver by using polyalkylene glycol copolymers with specific compositions (containing both propylene oxide and butylene oxide units) and controlled molecular weights. This structural parameter change allows the additive to improve viscosity index while maintaining lower low-temperature viscosity compared to conventional viscosity index improvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite viscosity index improver made from copolymerizing propylene oxide and butylene oxide units in specific ratios. This composite structure combines the benefits of both monomer units to achieve improved viscosity index with reduced low-temperature viscosity increase, resolving the technical contradiction between these two properties.
2Loss of energy
If lower viscosity base oils are used to improve fuel efficiency, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the viscosity index decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces polyalkylene glycol copolymer additives as intermediaries between the lower viscosity base oil and the performance requirements. These additives act as viscosity index improvers that enable the use of lower viscosity base oils (for better fuel efficiency) while compensating for the reduced viscosity index through the additive's viscosity-modifying properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the viscosity characteristics of the lubricant composition by adding polyalkylene glycol copolymers with specific molecular weights and compositions. This parameter change allows the system to maintain adequate viscosity index and lubrication performance even when using lower viscosity base oils, thus improving fuel efficiency without sacrificing protective capabilities.
3Stability of the object's composition
If higher viscosity index base oils are used to maintain consistent viscosity, then viscosity consistency is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the viscosity control function between the base oil and a separate additive component. Instead of relying solely on expensive high-viscosity-index base oils, the solution divides the task by using a more economical base oil combined with polyalkylene glycol copolymer additives that provide the necessary viscosity index improvement, thereby reducing overall cost while maintaining viscosity consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves cost reduction by changing the approach to viscosity index improvement - rather than selecting base oils with inherently high viscosity indices (which are expensive), the solution uses additives with controlled molecular weights and compositions to achieve the desired viscosity index, making the overall formulation more cost-effective while maintaining performance.
Data Source
AI summary
A lubricant composition that comprises a hydrocarbon base oil, a polar viscosity improver; and an esterified polyalkylene glycol: R 1 [O (R 2O) n (R 3O) m (C=O) R 4] p, wherein R 1 is a linear alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl with 6 to 30 carbon atoms; R 2O is an oxypropylene moiety derived from 1, 2-propylene oxide; R 3O is an oxybutylene moiety derived from butylene oxide, wherein R 2O and R 3O are in a block or a random distribution; R 4 is a linear alkyl with 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl with 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl with 6 to 18 carbon atoms; n and m are each independently integers ranging from 0 to 20 wherein n + m is greater than 0, and p is an integer from 1 to 4. The lubricant composition may have a viscosity index of at least 150, a kinematic viscosity at 100℃ from 2 to 5 centistokes and a kinematic viscosity at -20℃ of at most 600 centistokes.