novel lignin based composition

Abstract

A novel and environmentally friendly lignin based lubricant composition in the form of oil, gel, grease, paste, solid, or water/glycol emulsion comprising lignin and/or its derivatives with a dosage ranging from 0.01 to 95 wt %, preferably 0.1% to 80 wt %, or even more preferably 0.5 to 60 wt % dispersed in at least one or more components selected from 1) base oils, 2) surfactants or coupling agents, 3) lubricant additives, or 4) grease thickeners of soap or non-soap type whereupon the said composition was found to exhibit novel and synergistic performance benefits such as, but not limited to, antioxidancy, extreme pressure, antiwear, lubricity as well as a rheology modifying characteristics, e.g. thickening effect, for a broad range of lubricant, grease, or oil field drilling applications.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A novel and environmentally friendly lignin based lubricant composition in the form of oil, gel, grease, paste, solid, or water/glycol based emulsion comprises Lignin Derivatives ranging from 0.01 to 95 wt %, preferably 0.1% to 80 wt %, or even more preferably 0.5 to 60 wt % dispersed in at least one or more components selected from the following categories:
 1) Base oil   2) Surfactants or coupling agents,   3) Lubricant additives,   4) Grease thickeners of soap or non-soap type, whereupon the Lignin Derivatives were found to function as multifunctional additives exhibiting improved and synergistic performance such as antioxidancy, extreme pressure, antiwear, lubricity, as well as rheology modifying characteristics, e.g. thickening effect, for a broad range of lubricant, grease, or oil field drilling applications.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the lubricant composition is in the form of oil, gel, grease, paste, solid, or water/glycol based emulsion 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lignin and its derivatives is used at a dosage from 0.01 to 95 wt %, preferably 0.1 to 80 wt %, or even more preferably 0.5 to 60 wt % 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , where in the lignin and its derivatives are chosen from 1) isolation/purification through industrial paper pulping processes and the alike, 2) Physical modification of lignin, e.g. milling to reduce particle size, or 3) Chemical modification of Lignin, e.g. Lignin sulfonates 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the lignin and its derivatives has a particle size ranging from 0.01 micron to 200 micron or more preferably from 0.5 micron to 100 micron or even more preferably from 1 micron to 50 micron. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , where the base oil, thickener, or additive together are used in the range of 5 to 99.99 wt %, preferably from 20 to 99.9 wt %, or even more preferably from 40 to 99.5 wt %, 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , the surfactant or the coupling agent includes, but not limited to polyalkylene glycol ethers or esters, fatty alkanol ether, ester, or amide, or glycerol esters, or the combination of the above 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , the lubricant additives is either organic (ashless) or inorganic (metal containing) type, including, but not limited to, antioxidants, rust preventive, antiwear, lubricity, extreme pressure, or pour point depressant, or defoamant 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , the grease thickener is of soap such as Ca, Li, Al, or Na salts of simple soap, or complex type, or non-soap type such as polyurea, clay, silica, PTFE 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , the water/glycol components includes water, glycols, or ethylene oxide or propylene oxide block of copolymers or carbonates of aliphatic or aromatic type and the alike 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , the lignin and its derivatives is used as a multifunctional additive or a rheology control agent, e.g. grease thickener or co-thickener. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , the said composition is useful for lubricant and grease applications, and particularly useful for grease, metal working, and environmental sensitive industry requiring heavy metal free formulations 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , the said composition may be used as solid lubricants or pastes for metal forming or drawing operations, e.g. wire drawing, cold forging and the alike 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , the said composition may be used as oil based or a water/glycol based emulsion for applications as drilling fluids or service fluids/chemicals 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 2 , the said lubricant may contain lignin and its derivatives in such a finely dispersed state so it can be made into haze free oil based composition for lubricant applications