Natural and synthetic sodium sulfonate emulsifier blends

Abstract

An emulsifier composition includes at least one natural alkali metal petroleum sulfonate and at least one synthetic alkali metal sulfonate. The emulsifier composition can be combined with a lubricant oil to provide a water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate which forms a stable aqueous emulsion upon the addition thereto of an aqueous medium.

1 . An emulsifier composition comprising a blend of: 
 a) at least one natural alkali metal petroleum sulfonate; and    b) at least one synthetic alkali metal sulfonate.    
   
   
       2 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 1  wherein the alkali metal is sodium.  
   
   
       3 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic alkali metal sulfonate is produced by the sulfonation of linear or branched alkyl or alkylaromatic compounds.  
   
   
       4 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 1  comprising at least 30% by weight of the synthetic alkali metal sulfonate.  
   
   
       5 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic alkali metal sulfonate comprises a synthetic sodium branched dodecylxylene sulfonate having an equivalent weight of from about 500 to about 550.  
   
   
       6 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 1  comprises at least about 40% by weight of at least one synthetic sodium alkyl aromatic sulfonate having an equivalent weight of from about 350 to about 400 and wherein the natural alkali metal sulfonate comprises at least one natural sodium petroleum sulfonate.  
   
   
       7 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 c) an alkali metal salt of a mixed natural and synthetic sulfonate blend.    
   
   
       8 . The emulsifier composition of  claim 7  wherein the natural alkali metal sulfonate constitutes at least 50% by weight of the emulsifier composition and comprises the sodium salt of a sulfonate from a mineral oil yielding an equivalent weight of from about 450 to about 470.  
   
   
       9 . The composition of  claim 8  wherein the alkali metal salt of the mixed natural and synthetic sulfonate blend comprises the sodium salt of a blend of sulfonates from a mineral oil, a C 12 -C 14  dialkylbenzene sulfonate and a C 20 -C 24  monoalkylbenzene sulfonate with an equivalent weight of about 510 to about 530.  
   
   
       10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the synthetic alkali metal sulfonate comprises a sodium salt of tridecylbenzene sulfonate having an equivalent weight of from about 330 to about 350.  
   
   
       11 . The composition of  claim 10  wherein the quantity of the of synthetic sodium salt of the tridecylbenzene sulfonate exceeds the quantity of the sodium salt of the mixed natural and synthetic sulfonate blend.  
   
   
       12 . A water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate which comprises: 
 a) at least one oil of lubricating viscosity, and    b) a blend of emulsifiers in admixture with the oil in an amount sufficient to provide a stable aqueous emulsion upon the addition of an aqueous medium thereto, the blend of emulsifiers comprising: 
 (i) at least one natural alkali metal petroleum sulfonate; and,  
 (ii) at least one synthetic alkali metal sulfonate.  
   
   
   
       13 . The water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate of  claim 12  wherein the oil of lubricating viscosity comprises a mineral and/or synthetic lubricating oil selected from the group consisting of oils obtained by the distillation of paraffinic crude oil, intermediate crude oil, naphthenic crude oil, petroleum residue, solvent refined oils, hydrogenation refined oils, dewaxed oils, clay treated oils, low molecular weigh polybutene, low molecular weight polypropylene, oligomers of alpha-olefins having from about 8 to about 14 carbon atoms, alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate of  claim 13  wherein the blend of emulsifiers constitutes from about 1% to about 50% by weight of the concentrate.  
   
   
       15 . The water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate of  claim 13  further comprising one or more additives selected from the group consisting of fatty acid soap, extreme pressure additive, anticorrosion agents, biostatic agents and biocidal agents.  
   
   
       16 . The water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate of  claim 13  wherein the synthetic alkali metal sulfonate comprises one or more of a sodium branched dodecylxylene sulfonate, sodium dinonylnaphthalene sulfonate, sodium tridecylbenzene sulfonate, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate or sodium dialkylbenzene sulfonate.  
   
   
       17 . An aqueous lubricant oil-containing emulsion containing: 
 a) water; and    b) a water-miscible lubricating oil concentrate which comprises: 
 i) at least one oil of lubricating viscosity, and  
 ii) a blend of emulsifiers in admixture with the oil in an amount sufficient to provide a stable aqueous emulsion upon the addition of an aqueous medium thereto, the blend of emulsifiers including at least one natural alkali metal petroleum sulfonate, and at least one synthetic alkali metal sulfonate.  
   
   
   
       18 . The aqueous lubricant oil-containing emulsion of  claim 16  wherein the blend of emulsifiers further includes an alkali metal salt of a mixed natural and synthetic sulfonate blend.  
   
   
       19 . The aqueous lubricant oil containing emulsion of  claim 16 , wherein said emulsion is a metalworking lubricant.