Blend comprising group III and group IV basestocks

Abstract

The invention relates to compositions comprising a blend of Group III basestocks and low volatility, low viscosity PAO basestocks. The blend is particularly useful for preparing finished lubricants that meet or even exceed the criteria for SAE Grade 0 W multi-grade engine oils. The combination of these low volatility, low viscosity PAOs with Group III basestocks provide, in embodiments, the necessary performance criteria in automatic transmission fluids, automotive or industrial gear oils, hydraulic fluids, or any other high performance lubricant requiring a combination of excellent low fluidity and low volatility.

1 . A composition comprising: 
 (a) at least one API Group III basestock; and    (b) at least one PAO basestock characterized by a pour point <−54° C., and at least one of the following relationships: (i) a Noack volatility versus CCS relationship on or below curve A in  FIG. 1 ; (ii) a Noack volatility versus CCS relationship on or below curve B in  FIG. 1 ; (iii) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve A in  FIG. 2 ; (iv) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve B in  FIG. 2 ; (v) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve A in  FIG. 3 ; (vi) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve B in  FIG. 3 .    
   
   
       2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) includes at least one PAO basestock further characterized by at least one of the relationships (i) and (iii).  
   
   
       3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) includes at least one PAO basestock further characterized by both of the relationships (i) and (iii).  
   
   
       4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) includes at least one PAO basestock further characterized by at least one of the relationships (ii) and (iv).  
   
   
       5 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) includes at least one PAO basestock further characterized by both of the relationships (ii) and (iv).  
   
   
       6 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is further characterized as being obtainable by a process comprising oligomerizing at least one alphaolefin in the presence of an oligomerization catalyst and a dual promoter system comprising an alcohol and an ester.  
   
   
       7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is further characterized as being made by a process comprising oligomerizing at least one alphaolefin in the presence of an oligomerization catalyst and a dual promoter system comprising an alcohol and an ester.  
   
   
       8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is further characterized as comprised of an oligomerized alphaolefin which has been subjected to hydrogenation, wherein said oligomerized alphaolefin is prepared from an olefin feed comprises of 50 to 80 wt. % 1-decene and 50 to 20 weight percent 1-dodecene, and wherein said oligomerized alphaolefin has been oligomerized in the presence of BF 3  and a dual promoter comprising at least one alcohol and at least one alkyl acetate.  
   
   
       9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is further characterized as comprising a 5 cSt PAO comprising about 40 to 80 weight percent of 1-decene and from about 60 to about 20 weight percent of 1-dodecene based on the weight of said 5 cSt PAO.  
   
   
       10 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is further characterized as being made by a process comprising the oligomerization of alphaolefins comprising: 
 (a) contacting at least one alphaolefin, an alphaolefin oligomerization catalyst, an alcohol promoter, and an ester promoter in at least one continuously stirred reactor under oligomerization conditions for a time sufficient to produce a trimer of said at least one alphaolefin;    (b) distilling off unreacted alphaolefin and dimers of said alphaolefin to obtain a bottoms product comprising said trimer;    (c) hydrogenating said bottoms product to obtain a hydrogenated bottoms product; and then (d) fractionating said bottoms product to obtain at least one cut comprising a trimer product.    
   
   
       11 . The composition according to  claim 10 , wherein step (a) comprises contacting at least one alphaolefin selected from C8, C10, C12, C14, and C16 alphaolefins, and mixtures thereof  
   
   
       12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is further characterized as being obtainable by or made by an improved process comprising contacting at least one alphaolefin, an alphaolefin oligomerization catalyst, an alcohol promoter, and an ester promoter in at least one continuously stirred reactor under oligomerization conditions for a time sufficient to produce a trimer of said at least one alphaolefin, the improvement comprising distilling off unreacted monomers and promoters in a first distillation column, taking the bottoms product from said first distillation column and distilling off dimers in a second distillation column, taking the bottoms product from said second distillation column and hydrogenating said product to produce a hydrogenated product, sending said hydrogenated product to a third distillation column, and obtaining at least one product from either the overheads or bottoms of said third distillation column.  
   
   
       13 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (a) is selected from solvent dewaxed API Group III basestocks, catalytically dewaxed API Group III basestocks, and wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       14 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (a) excludes wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       15 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein (b) is selected from at least one of (i) a PAO comprising at least 85 wt. % trimers of 1-decene and having a viscosity of about 3.6 cSt at 100° C.; and (ii) a PAO comprising at least 85 wt. % trimers of 1-decene and 1-dodecene and having a viscosity of about 3.9 cSt at 100° C.  
   
   
       16 . A composition comprising: 
 (a) at least one Group III basestock; and    (b) at least one PAO obtainable or made by a process comprising oligomerizing at least one alphaolefin in the presence of an oligomerization catalyst and a dual promoter system comprising an alcohol and an ester.    
   
   
       17 . The composition according to  claim 16 , wherein (a) is selected from solvent dewaxed API Group III basestocks, catalytically dewaxed API Group III basestocks, and wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       18 . The composition according to  claim 16 , wherein (a) excludes wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       19 . A composition comprising: 
 (a) at least one Group III basestock; and    (b) at least one PAO characterized by a pour point less than −54° C., and at least one of the following: (ia) within the range of 3.5 to 3.95 cSt at 100° C. the Noack volatility=(50,000)(KV100) −6 ; and (ib) within the range of greater than 3.95 to 6 cSt at 100° C. the Noack volatility=(182)(KV100) −1.9 ; and within the range of 3.5 to 3.95 cSt at 100° C. the Noack Volatility=(9O0)(KV) −3.2 ; and (iib) within the range of greater than 3.95 to 6 cSt at 100° C. the Noack Volatility=(175)(KV) −2 .    
   
   
       20 . The composition according to  claim 19 , wherein (a) is selected from solvent dewaxed API Group III basestocks, catalytically dewaxed API Group III basestocks, and wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       21 . The composition according to  claim 19 , wherein (a) excludes wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       22 . A composition comprising a 3.6 cSt PAO, said 3.6 cSt PAO comprising about 99 wt. % C30 linear hydrocarbon, less than 0.5 wt. % C20 linear hydrocarbon, and less than 0.5 wt. % C40 linear hydrocarbon.  
   
   
       23 . A fully-formulated SAE Grade 0 W multigrade lubricant composition comprising 30 vol. % or greater of at least one API Group III basestock and about 1 to 70 vol. % of at least one PAO.  
   
   
       24 . The composition according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one API Group III basestock excludes wax isomerates API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       25 . The composition according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one API Group III basestock has a CCS @ −35 of greater than 2600.  
   
   
       26 . The composition according to  claim 23 , wherein said at least one API Group III basestock has a CCS @ −35 of greater than 2700.  
   
   
       27 . A product meeting the requirements of at least one of ILSAC GF-4 specifications and SAE Grade 0 W multigrade lubricant, said product comprising at least one API Group III basestock and at least one PAO characterized by at least one of the following criteria: (a) said PAO is obtainable by or made by a process comprising oligomerizing at least one alphaolefin in the presence of an oligomerization catalyst and a dual promoter system comprising an alcohol and an ester and recovering said PAO as overheads and/or bottoms product from a process further including at least two distillation steps; (b) said PAO has a pour point <−54° C., and at least one of the following relationships: (i) a Noack volatility versus CCS relationship on or below curve A in  FIG. 1 ; (ii) a Noack volatility versus CCS relationship on or below curve B in  FIG. 1 ; (iii) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve A in  FIG. 2 ; (iv) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve B in  FIG. 2 ; (v) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve A in  FIG. 3 ; (vi) a Noack volatility to KV relationship on or below the curve B in  FIG. 3 ; and (c) said PAO has a pour point less than −54° C., and at least one of the following relationships: (i) a Noack volatility to KV at 100° C. relationship such that: (ia) within the range of 3.5 to 3.95 cSt at 100° C. the Noack Volatility=(900)KV −3.2 ; and (ib) within the range of greater than 3.95 to 6 cSt at 100° C. the Noack Volatility=(175)(KV)- −2 .  
   
   
       28 . The product according to  claim 27 , wherein said at least one API Group III basestocks excludes wax isomerate API Group III basestocks.  
   
   
       29 . The product according to  claim 27 , wherein said at least one API Group III basestock includes at least one solvent dewaxed or catalytically dewaxed API Group III basestock, present in the amount of at least about 30 vol. % or greater based on the volume of the solvent dewaxed API Group III basestock, catalytically dewaxed basestock, or combination thereof, relative to the volume of the entire product.  
   
   
       30 . The product according to  claim 27 , comprising at least 30 vol. % or greater of at least one solvent dewaxed API Group III basestock, based on the volume of the entire product.  
   
   
       31 . A product comprising: 
 (a) a composition according to  claim 1;  and    (b) at least one additive selected from oxidation inhibitors, metallic and non-metallic dispersants, metallic and non-metallic detergents, corrosion and rust inhibitors, metal deactivators, anti-wear agents, extreme pressure additives, anti-seizure agents, pour point depressants, wax modifiers, viscosity modifiers, seal compatibility agents, friction modifiers, lubricity agents, anti-staining agents, chromophoric agents, defoamants, demulsifiers, emulsifiers, thickeners, fuel stabilizers, and tackifiers.    
   
   
       32 . An automatic transmission fluid, automotive or industrial gear oils, or hydraulic fluid comprising the composition according to  claim 1.