Grease Composition Low Torque Rust Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grease compositions for automotive electrical equipment and auxiliaries face challenges in achieving low torque performance while maintaining hardness and preventing rust, especially at low temperatures, due to high thickener content and susceptibility to hydrolysis.
Innovation Solution
A grease composition using a blend of low pour point synthetic hydrocarbon oil and highly purified mineral oil, combined with an aliphatic or alicyclic diurea thickener and alkenylsuccinic anhydride as a rust inhibitor, to achieve low torque performance and excellent rust prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If aromatic diurea compounds are used as thickeners to achieve high heat resistance and durability, then the grease maintains its hardness at high temperatures, but the resistance to stirring becomes too high, resulting in poor low torque performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameter of the diurea thickener from aromatic to aliphatic or alicyclic type, which fundamentally alters the molecular properties. This structural parameter change reduces the resistance to stirring while maintaining the thickening effectiveness, thereby resolving the contradiction between heat resistance and low torque performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite base oil system combining synthetic hydrocarbon oil and highly purified mineral oil with pour point of -35°C or less. This composite material approach allows optimization of low-temperature fluidity while maintaining overall grease performance, addressing the torque issue without sacrificing reliability
2Force
If the amount of thickener is decreased to reduce resistance to stirring and improve low torque performance, then the grease becomes softer, but the grease cannot maintain the intended hardness and may leak from the bearing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical nature of the thickener from aromatic diurea to aliphatic or alicyclic diurea compounds. This parameter change in thickener chemistry allows achieving the same thickening effect with lower amounts, reducing resistance to stirring while maintaining proper grease hardness and preventing leakage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the local quality of the grease by selecting specific aliphatic or alicyclic diurea compounds that provide effective thickening at lower concentrations. This localized optimization of thickener selection allows reduced overall thickener content while maintaining necessary grease structure and hardness
3Ease of operation
If ester type synthetic oil is used as base oil to improve lubricity, then the grease shows good lubricating properties, but the ester oil undergoes hydrolysis when water penetrates, producing acid components that cause rust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the ester type synthetic oil with a combination of synthetic hydrocarbon oil and highly purified mineral oil. This substitution uses more stable, hydrolysis-resistant base oils that do not degrade when water penetrates, thereby eliminating the rust problem while maintaining lubricating properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of water penetration into a benefit by selecting base oils that are inherently resistant to hydrolysis. The synthetic hydrocarbon oil and highly purified mineral oil combination remains stable in the presence of water, transforming what would be a harmful condition into a non-issue
4Speed
If phenyl ether oil is used as base oil to achieve low viscosity, then the grease shows improved low temperature fluidity, but the pour point remains about -30°C, resulting in insufficient low temperature properties and increased torque
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pour point parameter of the base oil by combining synthetic hydrocarbon oil with highly purified mineral oil having pour point of -35°C or less. This parameter change achieves superior low-temperature fluidity and reduces torque at low temperatures while maintaining overall grease performance
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 solution ensures low torque performance across a wide temperature range, improves fuel economy, and provides excellent rust prevention and resistance to evaporation.
Implementation Method 1
a thickener represented by formula (1): R1R2N-CO-NR3R4 where R1 to R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group
Implementation Method 2
a base oil which is a blend oil of a synthetic hydrocarbon oil and a highly purified mineral oil with a pour point of -35C or less at a ratio by mass of 100:0 to 30:70
Implementation Method 3
alkenylsuccinic anhydride as a rust inhibitor
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a grease composition which contains (A) a base oil including a synthetic hydrocarbon oil and a highly purified mineral oil with a pour point of -35°C or less at a ratio by mass of 100:0 to 30:70; (B) a thickener represented by the following formula (1): R1-NHCONH-R2-NHCONH-R3 (wherein R2 is a bivalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, and R1 and R3, which may be the same or different represent cyclohexyl group or a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms), with [((the number of moles of the alkyl groups) / (the number of moles of the alkyl groups + the number of moles of the cyclohexyl groups)) x 100] being 30 to 100%; and (C) an alkenylsuccinic anhydride and/or organic zinc sulfonate. The grease composition of the invention can exhibit low torque performance and excellent rust preventing properties.