Graphite dispersion

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said grinding comprises ball milling in the presence of a sufficient amount of oxygen-containing atmosphere for a residence time sufficient to cause said graphite particles to form graphite particles having said oxygen content and said average diameter in said ranges.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, wherein said residence time is in excess of about 12 hours and less than about 72 hours.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein said dispersing involves ball milling for a residence time sufficient to disperse said graphite particles having an average diameter in the range of about 5 microns to about 10 microns to form a graphite-in-oil dispersion.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 or 4, wherein particles having an average diameter in excess of about 6 microns are separated from said graphite-in-oil dispersion, whereby a very stable graphite-in-oil dispersion is formed.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein said oil used in said graphite-in-oil dispersion is selected from the group consisting of paraffinic and naphthenic lubricant base oils.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6, wherein there is added during said dispersing a dispersing amount of a material selected from the group consisting of: (i) a copolymer of an N-vinyl pyrrolidone of the following formula: ##STR5## wherein R 1 ', R 2 ', R 3 ' R 4 ', R 5 ', and R 6 ' are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a hydrocarbyl radical containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and an acrylate ester of the following formula: ##STR6## wherein R"' is selected from the group of oil solubilizing hydrocarbyl radicals containing about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms having a molecular weight in the range of about 100,000 to about 1,000,000, wherein molar ratio of N-vinyl pyrrolidone to acrylate ester is in the range of about 1:5 to about 1:15; (ii) a copolymer of a methacrylate ester and N-vinyl pyrrolidone of an average molecular weight of about 350,000 to about 600,000 corresponding to the formula: ##STR7## wherein R' is a hydrocarbyl radical containing from 1 to about 22 carbon atoms; and the ratio of m:n is in the range of about 1:5 to about 1:15; and (iii) a graft copolymer consisting essentially of an oil soluble, substantially linear, rubbery hydrocarbon backbone polymer selected from ethylene/propylene copolymer and ethylene/propylene diene modified terpolymer, said backbone polymer having graft polymerized thereon monomer units selected from C-vinylpyridines and N-vinylpyrrolidone.