Grease composition
AssigneeThe Lubrizol Corporation
InventorsRichard A. Denis, Stephen J. Nolan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed invention relates to a biodegradable grease composition. The grease composition comprises the reaction product of a dispersion of metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates with at least one animal or vegetable oil. The dispersion comprises an organic medium and has a water content of up to about 0.5% by weight water. The particulates have a mean particle size up to about 15 microns. A process for making a grease composition using a dispersion of metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates is disclosed.
Claims20
A biodegradable grease composition comprising the reaction product of a dispersion of metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates with at least one hydroxystearic acid in at least one vegetable oil, the dispersion comprising an organic medium and the metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates dispersed in the organic medium, the dispersion having a water content of up to about 0.5% by weight, the particulates having a mean particle size in the range up to about 15 microns, the reaction product having a grease consistency;
- and
- wherein the reaction product is prepared by mixing the dispersion, the at least one hydroxystearic acid, and the at least one vegetable oil;
- wherein the metal of the metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates comprises lithium;
- wherein the concentration of the metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates in the dispersion is from 10% to about 62% by weight;
- wherein the vegetable oil is present in the grease from 80 to 90 percent by weight;
- wherein the dispersion is present in the reaction mixture from 1 to 10 percent by weight;
- wherein the hydroxystearic acid is present in the reaction mixture from 5 to 25 percent by weight;
- and
- wherein the resulting soap content in the grease is from 4 to 35 percent by weight.
A process for making grease, comprising:
- (A) forming a slurry comprising metal oxide and/or hydroxide solids, water and an organic medium wherein the metal of the metal oxide and/or hydroxide solids comprises lithium;
- (B) milling the slurry to form a water-in-oil emulsion comprising metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates;
- (C) dehydrating the emulsion to form a dispersion of the metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates in the organic medium;
- and
- (D) mixing the dispersion with a hydroxystearic acid and at least one vegetable oil, forming a reaction mixture, and reacting the metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates with the hydroxystearic acid and the vegetable oil under conditions sufficient to thicken the oil to a grease consistency;
- wherein the concentration of the metal oxide and/or hydroxide particulates in the dispersion is from 10% to about 62% by weight;
- wherein the vegetable oil is present in the grease from 80 to 90 percent by weight;
- wherein the dispersion is present in the reaction mixture from 1 to 10 percent by weight;
- wherein the hydroxystearic acid is present in the reaction mixture from 5 to 25 percent by weight;
- and
- wherein the resulting soap content in the grease is from 4 to 35 percent by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.