Lubricant compositions
AssigneeImperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
InventorThomas Reddyhoff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lubricant composition said composition comprising at least one base oil and from 1 to 70 wt % of at least one friction modifying additive, wherein the composition is such that the viscosity reversibly reduces at a pressure from 50 MPa to 3 GPa. A mechanical system comprising the lubricant composition; use of the lubricant composition and methods of reducing friction using the lubricant composition are also disclosed.
Claims22
A method of reducing friction in mechanical apparatus comprising a first component having a first interface surface and a second component movable relative to the first component, the second component having a second interface surface, wherein the first interface surface interfaces with the second interface surface, the method comprising:
- providing a lubricant composition to lubricate movement of the second interface surface relative to the first interface surface, wherein the lubricant composition comprises at least one base oil and a friction modifying additive that comprises from 0.5 to 70 wt % of the lubricant composition and which reduces the viscosity of the lubricant composition when the lubricant composition is compressed between the first and second interface surfaces;
- and
- compressing the lubricant composition between the first and second interface surfaces;
- wherein compressing the lubricant composition between the first and second interface surfaces comprises exerting a compressive stress on the lubricant composition by one of the first and second components acting on the respective other of the first and second components;
- wherein exerting the compressive stress on the lubricant composition comprises exerting a compressive stress of at least 50 MPa;
- and
- wherein the friction modifying additive comprises a hydrocarbon chain of a length of from 8 to 30 carbon atoms only substituted with at least one alcohol functional group capable of hydrogen bonding, or comprises at least one alkylamine selected from dodecylamine or octadecylamine or mixtures thereof;
- wherein the first component and second component are part of a rolling element bearing or gear;
- and
- wherein the lubricant composition is selected from gear oil, grease, transmission fluid and hydraulic oil.
A method of reducing friction in a mechanical system between a first part and a second part moving relative to one another, by providing a lubricant composition between the first part and the second part, wherein the lubricant composition comprises at least one base oil and from 0.5 to 70 wt % of at least one friction modifying additive, wherein the composition is such that the viscosity reversibly reduces at a pressure from 50 MPa to 3 GPa;
- wherein the first part and second part are part of a rolling element bearing or gear;
- wherein the lubricant composition is selected from gear oil, grease, transmission fluid and hydraulic oil;
- and
- wherein the friction modifying additive comprises a hydrocarbon chain of a length of from 8 to 30 carbon atoms only substituted with at least one alcohol functional group capable of hydrogen bonding, or comprises at least one alkylamine selected from dodecylamine or octadecylamine or mixtures thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.