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US4507515A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Lubricating oil compositions containing ethylene-alpha-olefin polymers of controlled sequence distribution and molecular heterogeneity

Assignee: ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Co
•
Filing: 1983-12-21
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Granted: 1985-03-26
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Expires: 2003-12-21
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Abstract

Abstract Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers are disclosed being particularly useful as improving the low temperature viscosity and pumpability properties of lubricating oil comprised of a major and minor component each of which have a defined ethylene sequence distribution with respect to the number of ethylenes in sequences of three or more and the percent of ethylene sequences of three or more ethylene units. Ethylene-propylene copolymers are the preferred embodiment.

Inventors

  • 👤 John E. Johnston
  • 👤 Ricardo Bloch
  • 👤 Gary W. Ver Strate
  • 👤 W. R. Song

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 08:13
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10M; C10M7/00; C10M143/00; C10M143/02; C08; C08F; C08F210/00; C08F210/16; C08L; C08L23/00; C08L23/02; C08L23/16; C08F210/18; C08L2203/00; C08L2203/40; C08L2205/00; C08L2205/02; C10M2205/00; C10M2205/02; C10M2205/022; C10M2205/14; C10N; C10N2020/00; C10N2020/01

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim 231 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity exhibiting improved viscosity and pumpability properties at low temperatures containing an effective amount of an ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer of controlled sequence distribution and molecular heterogeneity, said copolymer having a major and minor portion, the major portion having a Mw (weight average molecular weight) of about 10,000 to 500,000, a Mooney viscosity at 100° C. of 0.5 to 500 and a thickening efficiency of 0.4 to 4.0, an ethylene content of 10 to 60 wt% ethylene and an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylene units in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 3 to 4.5 and the fraction of ethylene sequences containing three or more consecutive ethylene units is about 0.01 to 0.30 based on the total number of ethylene sequences in said major portion, and said minor portion has an Mw of 1,000 to 2,000,000, an ethylene content of 55 to 95 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 4 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences containing three or more consecutive ethylene units is about 0.35 to 0.95, based on the total number of ethylene sequences in said minor portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 231 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity exhibiting improved viscosity and pumpability properties at low temperatures containing an effective amount of an ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer of controlled sequence distribution and molecular heterogeneity, said copolymer having a major and minor portion, the major portion having a Mw (weight average molecular weight) of about 10,000 to 500,000, a Mooney viscosity at 100° C. of 0.5 to 500 and a thickening efficiency of 0.4 to 4.0, an ethylene content of 10 to 60 wt% ethylene and an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylene units in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 3 to 4.5 and the fraction of ethylene sequences containing three or more consecutive ethylene units is about 0.01 to 0.30 based on the total number of ethylene sequences in said major portion, and said minor portion has an Mw of 1,000 to 2,000,000, an ethylene content of 55 to 95 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 4 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences containing three or more consecutive ethylene units is about 0.35 to 0.95, based on the total number of ethylene sequences in said minor portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 121 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 1 wherein the major portion of said copolymer has an Mw from 10,000 to 250,000, a Mooney viscosity of 1 to 70, a thickening efficiency is 0.5 to 3.5, 25-50 wt% ethylene, and the ethylene sequence distribution values are 3.0 to 4.0 for the mean number of ethylenes in sequences of three or more and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more is 0.05 to 0.28, and the minor portion of said copolymer has 60-90 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences of three or more is 5 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more is 0.50 to 0.80.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
A composition according to claim 1 wherein the copolymer is an ethylene propylene copolymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
A composition according to claim 2 wherein the copolymer is an ethylene propylene copolymer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said major and minor portions are separately prepared and blended.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
A composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said major and minor portions are composed of discrete polymerized molecules prepared in situ in the same reaction process.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 1 wherein said major portion comprises 90 to 99.5 wt% of said copolymer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 1 wherein said major portion comprises 95.5 to 99.5 wt% of said copolymer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 127 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity exhibiting improved viscosity and pumpability properties at low temperature containing an effective amount of an ethylene α olefin copolymer having an Mw, weight average molecular weight of about 10,000 to 500,000, a Mooney viscosity at 100° C. of 5 to 500, a thickening efficiency of 0.4 to 4.0, an ethylene content of 10 to 60 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 3.0 to 4.5 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more consecutive ethylene units in about 0.01 to 0.30 based on the total number of ethylene sequences.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 127 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity exhibiting improved viscosity and pumpability properties at low temperature containing an effective amount of an ethylene α olefin copolymer having an Mw, weight average molecular weight of about 10,000 to 500,000, a Mooney viscosity at 100° C. of 5 to 500, a thickening efficiency of 0.4 to 4.0, an ethylene content of 10 to 60 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 3.0 to 4.5 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more consecutive ethylene units in about 0.01 to 0.30 based on the total number of ethylene sequences.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 70 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 9 wherein the copolymer has an Mw from 10,000 to 200,000, Mooney viscosity is 1 to 70, a thickening efficiency is 0.5 to 3.5, 25-50 wt% ethylene, and the ethylene sequence distribution values are 3.0 to 4.0 for the mean number of ethylenes in sequences of three or more and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more is 0.05 to 0.28.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 9 wherein the copolymer is an ethylene-propylene copolymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 10 wherein the copolymer is an ethylene propylene copolymer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 104 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity exhibiting improved viscosity and pumpability properties at low temperature containing an effective amount of an ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer having a Mw of 1,000 to 2,000,000, an ethylene content of 55 to 95 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 4 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more consecutive ethylene units is from about 0.35 to 0.95, based on the total number of ethylene sequences.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 104 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity exhibiting improved viscosity and pumpability properties at low temperature containing an effective amount of an ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer having a Mw of 1,000 to 2,000,000, an ethylene content of 55 to 95 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 4 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more consecutive ethylene units is from about 0.35 to 0.95, based on the total number of ethylene sequences.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 51 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 13 wherein the copolymer has 60-90 wt% ethylene, and an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences of three or more is 6 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more is 0.50 to 0.80.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 15 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 13 wherein the copolymer is an ethylene-propylene copolymer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 15 words
A lubricating oil composition according to claim 14 wherein the copolymer is an ethylene-propylene copolymer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 141 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity containing an effective amount of a polymeric viscosity index improving additive where low temperature viscosity and pumpability is improved by incorporation into said lubricating oil composition of 0.01 to 10 wt%, based on the weight of said polymeric viscosity index improving additive, of an ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer pumpability additive having a Mw molecular weight of about 1,000 to 2,000,000, an ethylene content of 55 to 95 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 4 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more consecutive ethylene units is from about 0.35 to 0.95, based on the total number of ethylene sequences in said copolymer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 141 words
A lubricating oil composition comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity containing an effective amount of a polymeric viscosity index improving additive where low temperature viscosity and pumpability is improved by incorporation into said lubricating oil composition of 0.01 to 10 wt%, based on the weight of said polymeric viscosity index improving additive, of an ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer pumpability additive having a Mw molecular weight of about 1,000 to 2,000,000, an ethylene content of 55 to 95 wt% ethylene, an ethylene sequence distribution such that the mean number of ethylenes in sequences equal to or greater than three consecutive ethylene units is a value of about 4 to 20 and the fraction of ethylene sequences of three or more consecutive ethylene units is from about 0.35 to 0.95, based on the total number of ethylene sequences in said copolymer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 30 words
A composition according to claim 17 wherein the viscosity index improving additive is an ethylene-propylene copolymer, a hydrogenated styrene-isoprene copolymer, a hydrogenated butadiene-styrene copolymer or a styrene dialkyl maleate copolymer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 41 words
A composition according to claim 17 wherein the polymeric viscosity index improver is an ethylene-propylene copolymer and said pumpability additive is present in an amount of about 0.01 to 6.0 wt% based on the weight of the polymeric viscosity index improver.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 18 words
A composition according to claim 19 wherein there is present 0.05 to 2.0 wt% of said pumpability additive.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 14 words
A composition according to claim 17 wherein said pumpability additive is an ethylene-propylene copolymer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 14 words
A composition according to claim 21 wherein said ethylene-propylene copolymer contains 60-90 wt% ethylene.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3691078A Cited
US3551336A Cited
US3697429A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-03-25 1988-09-24 1989-03-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-03-25 1992-09-24 1993-03-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-03-25 1996-09-24 1997-03-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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