Concentrates, lubricant compositions and methods for improving fuel economy of internal combustion engine

Claim 2

A lubricating composition comprising: (A) A major amount of a lubricating oil; and minor effective amounts of (B) a composition prepared by sulfurizing, at a temperature of about 100° to about 250° C., a mixture comprising (B-1) 100 parts by weight of at least one ester of a substantially aliphatic caboxylic acid containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms and a substantially aliphatic alcohol, (B-2) from about 2 to about 50 parts of at least one substantially aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, and (B-3) from about 25 to about 400 parts by weight of at least one substantially aliphatic monoolefin containing from about 8 to about 36 carbon atoms; and (C) at least one oil-dispersible basic alkali metal sulfonate prepared by intimately contacting for a period of time sufficient to form a stable dispersion, at a temperature between the solidification temperature of the reaction mixture and its decomposition temperature; (C-1) at least one acidic gaseous material selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and mixtures thereof, with (C-2) a reaction mixture comprising (C-2-a) at least one oil-soluble sulfonic acid, or derivative thereof susceptible to overbasing; (C-2-b) at least one alkali metal or basic alkali metal compound; (C-2-c) at least one lower aliphatic alcohol; and (C-2-d) at least one oil-soluble carboxylic acid or functional derivative thereof.

Claim 3

A composition according to claim 1 wherein reagent B-1 is at least one fatty acid ester of a polyhydric alcohol, reagent B-2 is at least one fatty acid, and reagent B-3 is at least one aliphatic α-olefin.

Claim 4

A composition according to claim 2 wherein the sulfurizing agent is sulfur.

Claim 5

A composition according to claim 3 wherein reagent B-1 is at least one fatty oil.

Claim 6

A composition according to claim 4 wherein reagent B-1 is an ester the acidic moieties of which contain olefinic unsaturation.

Claim 7

A composition according to claim 5 wherein reagent B-2 is at least one unsaturated fatty acid.

Claim 8

A composition according to claim 6 wherein reagent B-2 is tall oil acid and is present in the amount of about 2-8 parts by weight.

Claim 9

A composition according to claim 7 wherein reagent B-3 is at least one C 12-20 α-olefin.

Claim 10

A composition according to claim 8 wherein reagent B-3 is a commercial mixture of α-olefins and is present in the amount of from about 25 to about 75 parts by weight.

Claim 11

A composition according to claim 9 wherein reagent B-1 is soybean oil.

Claim 12

A composition according to claim 1 wherein reagent C-1 is carbon dioxide.

Claim 13

A composition according to claim 11 wherein reagent C-2-b is at least one basic sodium compound.

Claim 14

A composition according to claim 12 wherein reagent C-2-a is at least one alkylated benzenesulfonic acid.

Claim 15

A composition according to claim 13 wherein reagent C-2-c is methanol, ethanol or propanol.

Claim 16

A composition according to claim 14 wherein reagent C-2-c is methanol.

Claim 17

A composition according to claim 15 wherein reagent C-2-d is a substituted succinic acid having the formula ##STR8## or an anhydride thereof, wherein R 4 is a saturated or substantially saturated aliphatic radical having from about 8 to about 700 carbon atoms.

Claim 18

A composition according to claim 16 wherein R 4 is polybutenyl radical containing predominantly isobutene units.

Claim 19

A composition according to claim 17 wherein R 4 has a number average molecular weight from about 700 to about 5000.

Claim 20

A composition according to claim 1 which additionally contains (D) at least one oil-dispersible detergent or dispersant, with the proviso that if it is a detergent it is not a basic alkali metal salt.

Claim 21

A composition according to claim 19 wherein the detergent is a basic alkaline earth metal salt or complex of a phenol, sulfonic acid, carboxylic acid or phosphorus acid.

Claim 22

A composition according to claim 20 wherein the detergent is a basic calcium sulfonate.

Claim 23

A composition according to claim 19 wherein the dispersant is characterized by the presence of an oil-solubilizing group containing at least about 40 aliphatic carbon atoms bonded directly to a polar group.

Claim 24

A composition according to claim 22 wherein the dispersant is a carboxylic dispersant, a Mannich dispersant, an amine dispersant, a polymeric dispersant, or a post-treatment product of any of the foregoing.

Claim 25

A composition according to claim 23 wherein the dispersant is a carboxylic dispersant characterized by the presence within its molecular structure of an acyl, acyloxy or acylimidoyl radical containing at least about 44 carbon atoms and a radical in which a nitrogen or oxygen atom is attached directly to said acyl, acyloxy or acylimidoyl radical, said nitrogen or oxygen atom also being attached to a hydrocarbon-based radical.

Claim 26

A composition according to claim 24 wherein the dispersant is prepared by reaction of a substantially saturated hydrocarbon-substituted or halohydrocarbon-substituted succinic acid-producing compound with at least one of an alcohol and an alkylene polyamine.

Claim 27

A composition according to claim 25 wherein the substituent on the succinic acid-producing compound contains at least about 50 aliphatic carbon atoms and the dispersant is prepared by the reaction of said succinic acid-producing compound with at least one alcohol.

Claim 28

A composition according to claim 26 wherein the alcohol is pentaerythritol.

Claim 29

A composition according to claim 27 wherein the substituent on the succinic acid-producing compound contains at least about 50 aliphatic carbon atoms and the dispersant is prepared by the reaction of said succinic acid-producing compound with at least one alkylene polyamine.

Claim 30

A composition according to claim 28 wherein the alkylene polyamine is an ethylene polyamine.

Claim 31

A composition according to claim 23 wherein the dispersant is a Mannich dispersant comprising the reaction product of an alkyl phenol in which the alkyl group contains at least about 40 carbon atoms with an aliphatic aldehyde containing at least about 7 carbon atoms and an amine.

Claim 32

A composition according to claim 30 wherein the aldehyde is formaldehyde and the amine is an alkylene polyamine.

Claim 33

A composition according to claim 31 wherein the amine is an ethylene polyamine.

Claim 34

A composition according to claim 22 wherein the dispersant also improves the viscosity properties of the lubricant.

Claim 35

A composition according to claim 19 which additionally contains (E) at least one component capable of substantially improving the viscosity properties thereof.

Claim 36

A composition according to claim 19 which additionally contains (F) at least one compound of the formula ##STR9## wherein each of R 10 and R 11 is a hydrocarbon-based radical containing from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms and M is a Group I metal, a Group II metal, aluminum, tin, iron, cobalt, lead, arsenic, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, or a mixture of two or more of said metals.

Claim 37

A composition according to claim 35 wherein each of R 10 and R 11 is an alkyl radical containing from about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms.

Claim 38

A composition according to claim 36 wherein M is zinc or molybdenum.

Claim 39

A composition according to claim 37 wherein M is zinc.

Claim 40

An additive concentrate comprising a substantially neutral, normally liquid organic diluent and, dissolved or stably dispersed therein: (B) A composition prepared by sulfurizing, at a temperature of about 100° to about 250° C., a mixture comprising (B-1) 100 parts by weight of at least one ester of a substantially aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms and a substantially aliphatic alcohol, (B-2) from about 2 to about 50 parts of at least one substantially aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, and (B-3) from about 25 to about 400 parts by weight of at least one substantially aliphatic monoolefin containing from about 8 to about 36 carbon atoms; and (C) at least one oil-dispersible basic alkali metal sulfonate prepared by intimately contacting for a period of time sufficient to form a stable dispersion, at a temperature between the solidification temperature of the reaction mixture and its decomposition temperature; (C-1) at least one acidic gaseous material selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and mixtures thereof, with (C-2) a reaction mixture comprising (C-2-a) at least one oil-soluble sulfonic acid, or derivative thereof susceptible to overbasing; (C-2-b) at least one alkali metal or basic alkali metal compound; (C-2-c) at least one lower aliphatic alcohol; and (C-2-d) at least one oil-soluble carboxylic acid or functional derivative thereof.

Claim 41

An additive concentrate comprising a substantially neutral, normally liquid organic diluent and, dissolved or stably dispersed therein: (B) A composition prepared by sulfurizing, at a temperature of about 100° to about 250° C., a mixture comprising (B-1) 100 parts by weight of at least one ester of a substantially aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms and a substantially aliphatic alcohol, (B-2) from about 2 to about 50 parts of at least one substantially aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms, and (B-3) from about 25 to about 400 parts by weight of at least one substantially aliphatic monoolefin containing from about 8 to about 36 carbon atoms; and (C) at least one oil-dispersible basic alkali metal sulfonate prepared by intimately contacting for a period of time sufficient to form a stable dispersion, at a temperature between the solidification temperature of the reaction mixture and its decomposition temperature; (C-1) at least one acidic gaseous material selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and mixtures thereof, with (C-2) a reaction mixture comprising (C-2-a) at least one oil-soluble sulfonic acid, or derivative thereof susceptible to overbasing; (C-2-b) at least one alkali metal or basic alkali metal compound; (C-2-c) at least one lower aliphatic alcohol; and (C-2-d) at least one oil-soluble carboxylic acid or functional derivative thereof.

Claim 42

A concentrate according to claim 39 wherein reagent B-1 is at least one fatty oil, reagent B-2 is tall oil acid and is present in the amount of about 2-8 parts by weight, reagent B-3 is at least one C 12-20 α-olefin, and the sulfurizing agent is sulfur.

Claim 43

A concentrate according to claim 40 wherein reagent B-1 is soybean oil and reagent B-3 is a commercial mixture of α-olefins and is present in the amount of from about 25 to about 75 parts by weight.

Claim 44

A concentrate according to claim 39 wherein reagent C-1 is carbon dioxide; reagent C-2-a is at least one alkylated benzenesulfonic acid; reagent C-2-b is at least one basic sodium compound; reagent C-2-c is methanol, ethanol or propanol; and reagent C-2-d is a substituted succinic acid having the formula ##STR10## or an anhydride thereof, wherein R 4 is a saturated or substantially saturated aliphatic radical having from about 8 to about 700 carbon atoms.

Claim 45

A concentrate according to claim 42 wherein R 4 is a polybutenyl radical containing predominantly isobutene units and has a number average molecular weight from about 700 to about 5000.

Claim 46

A concentrate according to claim 39 which additionally contains (D) at least one oil-dispersible detergent or dispersant, with the proviso that if it is a detergent it is not a basic alkali metal salt.

Claim 47

A concentrate according to claim 44 wherein the detergent is a basic calcium sulfonate.

Claim 48

A concentrate according to claim 44 wherein the dispersant is a carboxylic dispersant characterized by the presence within its molecular structure of an acyl, acyloxy or acylimidoyl radical containing at least about 44 carbon atoms and a radical in which a nitrogen or oxygen atom is attached directly to said acyl, acyloxy or acylimidoyl radical, said nitrogen or oxygen atom also being attached to a hydrocarbon-based radical.

Claim 49

A concentrate according to claim 46 wherein the dispersant is prepared by reaction of a substantially saturated hydrocarbon-substituted or halohydrocarbon-substituted succinic acid-producing compound containing at least about 54 aliphatic carbon atoms with at least one ethylene polyamine.

Claim 50

A concentrate according to claim 44 wherein the dispersant is a Mannich dispersant comprising the reaction product of an alkyl phenol in which the alkyl group contains at least about 40 carbon atoms with an aliphatic aldehyde containing at least about 7 carbon atoms and an amine.

Claim 51

A concentrate according to claim 48 wherein the aldehyde is formaldehyde and the amine is an ethylene polyamine.

Claim 52

A concentrate according to claim 44 which additionally contains (F) at least one compound of the formula ##STR11## wherein each of R 10 and R 11 is a hydrocarbon-based radical containing from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms and M is a Group I metal, A Group II metal, aluminum, tin, iron, cobalt, lead, arsenic, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, or a mixture of two or more of said metals.

Claim 53

A concentrate according to claim 50 wherein each of R 10 and R 11 is an alkyl radical containing from about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms and M is zinc.