Natural oil based grease compositions and processes for making such compositions

Abstract

A grease composition is disclosed, having from 50 to 99 weight percent of a lubricating base oil, from 1 to 30 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iii) one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iv) one or more, or two or more, carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, and (v) one or more of a metal base compound, and from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives. Processes for making grease compositions are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grease composition comprising:
 (a) from 50 to 99 weight percent of a lubricating base oil,   (b) from 1 to 30 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils or a natural oil derivative thereof, comprising a hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil or a hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil based wax, (iii) one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, and (v) one or more of a metal base compound; and   (c) from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives.   
     
     
         2 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating base oil comprises a mineral oil, a synthetic oil, a natural oil, or a natural oil derivative, individually or in combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the natural oil derivative is a hydrogenated natural oil selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated canola oil, hydrogenated rapeseed oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated corn oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, hydrogenated olive oil, hydrogenated palm oil, hydrogenated peanut oil, hydrogenated safflower oil, hydrogenated sesame oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated sunflower oil, hydrogenated linseed oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, hydrogenated tung oil, hydrogenated jatropha oil, hydrogenated mustard oil, hydrogenated camelina oil, hydrogenated pennycress oil, hydrogenated castor oil, hydrogenated animal fat, individually or in combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The grease composition of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrogenated natural oil is hydrogenated castor oil. 
     
     
         5 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives comprising an amidated hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil based wax. 
     
     
         6 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof comprises a C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The grease composition of  claim 6 , wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof comprises a hydroxy-substituted, aliphatic, cyclic, alicyclic, aromatic, branched, saturated, unsaturated, or heteroatom substituted, carboxylic acid or ester derivative thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The grease composition of  claim 7 , wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof comprises a C 12 -C 24  hydroxy carboxylic acid or C 12 -C 24  hydroxy ester derivative of such acids. 
     
     
         9 . The grease composition of  claim 8 , wherein the C 12 -C 24  hydroxy carboxylic acid or ester derivative of such acids is 12-hydroxystearic acid and ester derivatives. 
     
     
         10 . The grease composition of  claim 9 , wherein the C 12 -C 24  hydroxy carboxylic acid ester derivative is 12-hydroxystearate. 
     
     
         11 . The grease composition of  claim 6 , wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid comprises a C 2  to C 12  aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. 
     
     
         12 . The grease composition of  claim 11 , wherein the C 2  to C 12  aliphatic dicarboxylic acid comprises azelaic acid. 
     
     
         13 . The grease composition of  claim 7 , wherein the wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof comprises an alicyclic acid comprising naphthenic acids and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein said metal base compound is a metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and magnesium hydroxide. 
     
     
         15 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein said optional additives are selected from the group consisting of: metal deactivators, antioxidants, antiwear agents, rust inhibitors, viscosity modifiers, extreme pressure agents, and corrosion inhibitors. 
     
     
         16 . A grease composition comprising:
 (a) from 89 to 93 weight percent of a lubricating base oil,   (b) from 6 to 11 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils or a natural oil derivative thereof, comprising a hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil or a hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil based wax, (iv) one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, and (v) one or more of a metal base compound; and   (c) from 1 to 5 weight percent of one or more optional additives selected from the group consisting of: metal deactivators, antioxidants, antiwear agents, rust inhibitors, viscosity modifiers, extreme pressure agents, and corrosion inhibitors.   
     
     
         17 . A grease composition comprising:
 (a) from 89 to 93 weight percent of a lubricating base oil,   (b) from 6 to 11 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives comprising hydrogenated castor oil, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils or a natural oil derivative thereof, comprising a hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil or a hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil wax, (iii) one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, comprising 12-hydroxystearic acid, naphthenic acids, azelaic acid, and (iv) one or more of a metal base compound comprising lithium hydroxide.