Environmentally-friendly lubricant compositions

Abstract

A lubricant additive composition having environmentally compatible characteristics as defined by European Council Directive 67/548/ EEC is disclosed. Such a composition may include components selected from non-persistent materials, non-bioaccumulative materials, or non-toxic materials.

1 . An environmentally compatible lubricant additive composition comprising four or more tribologically functional components,
 wherein each component is a non-persistent, a non-bioaccumulative, and a non-toxic material and at least one component is selected from the group consisting essentially of a sulfurized neopentyl glycol phosphate, a substituted succinimide, a reaction product of an alkyl dicarboxylic acid or anhydride and ammonia, a fatty amine ethoxylate, an oleamide, and dodecyl succinic acid, and   wherein the additive composition is devoid of components that-are-selected from the group consisting essentially of: persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic alkanes, alkoxy alkylamines, alkyl methacrylates, alkyl phenols, alkylphenols, polyoxyalkyl alkylamines, aryl amines, aryl phosphites, branched alkyl phenols, branched alkyl polysulfides, branched long-chain alkyl amines, long-chain alkenyl alkyl amine, long-chain alkenyl alkylene amines, long-chain alkenyl amines, long-chain alkoxylated amines, long-chain alkyl alkoxylated alcohols, long-chain alkyl alkylene amines, long-chain alkyl amines, long-chain alkyl methacrylates, long-chain alkyoxylated amines, long-chain hydroxyalkyl amines, polyaryls, and polyolefin polyamines.   
     
     
         2 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the tribologically functional components comprise materials selected from the group consisting of: antioxidants, dispersants, detergents, viscosity index improvers, friction modifiers, pour point depressants, antiwear agents, extreme pressure agents, rust inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, foam inhibitors, seal swell additives, and diluents. 
     
     
         3 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-persistent material is determined by a biodegradation test selected from the group consisting of a dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a modified OECD screening dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a carbon dioxide evolution test, a manometric respirometry test, a closed bottle test, a MITI test, a Zahn-Wellens test, an activated sludge simulation test, an activated sludge respiration inhibition test, and a modified SCAS test. 
     
     
         4 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-bioaccumulative material is determined by a bioconcentration factor test comprising a flow-through fish test. 
     
     
         5 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-bioaccumulative material has bioconcentration factor test result below 2000. 
     
     
         6 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-toxic material is determined by a toxicity test selected from the group consisting of an acute toxicity for fish test, an acute toxicity for Daphnia test, and an algal inhibition test. 
     
     
         7 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-toxic material is devoid of a toxic effect at an aqueous concentration below 0.01 mg/L on a toxicity test. 
     
     
         8 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein a non-persistent material is a material having an acceptable score on a biodegradation test selected from at least one of the following:
 a) a half-life in marine water is less than 60 days;   b) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water is less than 40 days;   c) a half-life in marine sediment is less than 180 days;   d) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water sediment less than 120 days; or   e) a half-life in soil less than 120 days.   
     
     
         9 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components is reaction product of a C 16  alkyl dicarboxylic acid and ammonia. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an adipate. 
     
     
         15 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a sulfurized isobutylene. 
     
     
         16 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an alkylthiadiazole. 
     
     
         17 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an alkylpolymethacrylate comprising less than 0.3% weight of unreacted monomer. 
     
     
         18 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an olefin copolymer or a multifunctional olefin copolymer viscosity index improver comprising less than 0.3% weight of unreacted monomer. 
     
     
         19 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a polyalphaolefin. 
     
     
         20 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the additive is useful in grease compositions. 
     
     
         21 . The lubricant additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the additive is useful in cutting, quenching, or rolling applications. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An environmentally compatible lubricating composition, comprising:
 a) a major amount of a base oil; and   b) a minor amount of an additive composition, comprising four or more tribologically functional components, wherein each component comprises an acceptable level of biodegradation as determined by a biodegradation test, a bioconcentration factor below 2000, and is devoid of a toxic effect at an aqueous concentration below 0.01 mg/L on a toxicity test and at least one component is selected from the group consisting essentially of a sulfurized neopentyl glycol phosphate, a substituted succinimide, a reaction product of an alkyl dicarboxylic acid or anhydride and ammonia, a fatty amine ethoxylate, an oleamide. and dodecyl succinic acid, and   wherein the additive composition is devoid of components selected from the mew consisting essentially of: persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic alkanes, alkoxy alkylamines, alkyl methacrylates, alkyl phenols, alkylphenols, polyoxyalkyl alkylamines, aryl amines, aryl phosphites, branched alkyl phenols, branched alkyl polysulfides, branched long-chain alkyl amines, long-chain alkenyl alkyl amine, long-chain alkenyl alkylene amines, long-chain alkenyl amines, long-chain alkoxylated amines, long-chain alkyl alkoxylated alcohols, long-chain alkyl alkylene amines, long-chain alkyl amines. long-chain alkyl methacrylates, long-chain alkyoxylated amines, long-chain hydroxyalkyl amines, polyaryls, and polyolefin polyamines.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The lubricating composition of  claim 24 , wherein the base oil is selected form a gas-to-liquid (GTL) base oil, a Group I base oil, a Group II base oil, a Group III base oil, a Group IV base oil, and ester, a vegetable oil, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . An environmentally compatible lubricating composition comprising:
 a) a major amount of a base oil; and   b) a minor amount of an additive composition, comprising four or more tribologically functional components, wherein each component is of non-persistent materials, non-bioaccumulative materials and non-toxic materials and at least one component is selected from the group consisting essentially of a sulfurized neopentyl glycol phosphate, a substituted succinimide, a reaction product of an alkyl dicarboxylic acid or anhydride and ammonia, a fatty amine ethoxylate, an oleamide, and dodecyl succinic acid, and   wherein the additive composition is devoid of components selected from the group consisting essentially of: persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic alkanes, alkoxy alkylamines, alkyl methacrylates, alkyl phenols, alkylphenols, polyoxyalkyl alkylamines, aryl amines, aryl phosphites, branched alkyl phenols, branched alkyl polysulfides, branched long-chain alkyl amines, long-chain alkenyl alkyl amine, long-chain alkenyl alkylene amines, long-chain alkenyl amines, long-chain alkoxylated amines, long-chain alkyl alkoxylated alcohols, long-chain alkyl alkylene amines. long-chain alkyl amines, long-chain alkyl methacrylates, long-chain alkyoxylated amines, long-chain hydroxyalkyl amines, polyaryls, and polyolefin polyamines.   
     
     
         49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A method of lubricating a machine part comprising lubricating said machine part with a lubricant composition comprising an additive composition of  claim 48 . 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said machine part comprises a gear, an axle, a differential, an engine, a crankshaft, a transmission, or a clutch. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said transmission is selected from the group consisting of an automatic transmission, a manual transmission, an automated manual transmission, a semi-automatic transmission, a dual clutch transmission, a continuously variable transmission, and a toroidal transmission. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said transmission comprises a continuously slipping torque converter clutch, a slipping torque converter, a lock-up torque converter, a starting clutch, one or more shifting clutches, or an electronically controlled converter clutch. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said gear is selected from the group consisting of an automotive gear, a stationary gearbox, and an axle. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said gear is selected from the group consisting of a hypoid gear, a spur gear, a helical gear, a bevel gear, a worm gear, a rack and pinion gear, a planetary gear set, and an involute gear. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said differential is selected from the group consisting of a straight differential, a turning differential, a limited slip differential, a clutch-type limited slip differential, and a locking differential. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said engine is selected from the group consisting of an internal combustion engine, a rotary engine, a gas turbine engine, a four-stroke engine, and a two-stroke engine. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said engine comprises a piston, a bearing, a crankshaft, and/or a camshaft.