Compositions, methods and uses

Abstract

A composition including a pyrolysis oil and, as an additive, one or more of: (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms; and (b) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin and/or the alcohol and/or amine has at least 30 carbon atoms. A method of reducing the pour point of a composition including a pyrolysis oil and a use of the aforementioned additives for reducing the pour point of a composition comprising a pyrolysis oil, are also disclosed.

1 . A composition comprising a pyrolysis oil and, as an additive, one or more of:
 (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms; and   (b) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin and/or the alcohol and/or amine has at least 30 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis oil is a plastic pyrolysis oil. 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive is (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl or alkenyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms; wherein the aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer has the structures (I) or (II): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R is an alkyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms n is at least 1. 
       
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 3 , wherein n is from 5 to 10. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 3 , wherein at least 50 wt % of the R groups present in the additive are C30-C40 alkyl groups. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive is (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl or alkenyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the additive (a) has a molecular weight in the range 3,000 to 20,000. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive is (b) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin and/or the alcohol and/or amine has at least 30 carbon atoms, wherein the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound is maleic anhydride. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 8 , wherein the additive is the reaction product of an alcohol having at least 30 carbon atoms with the copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the alpha-olefin has fewer than 30 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 8 , wherein the additive is a C12-C28 ester of the copolymer of the alpha-olefin and the ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin has at least 30 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 8 , wherein 10 to 90 wt % of the alpha-olefin compounds used to form the copolymer have at least 30 carbon atoms, preferably wherein from 20 to 50 wt % of the alpha-olefin compounds have at least 30 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 8 , wherein at least 50 wt % of the alpha-olefin compounds used to form the copolymer are C30-C40 alpha-olefins. 
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 8 , wherein the additive (b) has a molecular weight in the range of 4,000 to 30,000. 
     
     
         15 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a further additive (c) selected from one or more of:
 (c1) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having fewer than 30 carbon atoms; and   (c2) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin, the alcohol and the amine, when present, have fewer than 30 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the additive is present in the composition in an amount of from 100 to 3,000 ppm. 
     
     
         17 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (d) an antioxidant.   
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 17 , wherein (d) the antioxidant is a phenolic antioxidant, selected from tertiarybutylhydroquinone (TBHQ or MTBHQ), 2,5-di-tertiarybutylhydroquinone (DTBHQ), pyrogallol, pyrocatechol 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT), 2,6-ditertiary-butyl-phenol, propylgallate and tertiarybutylcatechol. 
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 17 , wherein (d) the antioxidant comprises an amino based antioxidant selected from aromatic amines, hindered amines, N-oxides, polyalkylene polyamines; and polyisobutenyl substituted succinimides. 
     
     
         20 . A method of reducing the pour point of a composition comprising a pyrolysis oil, the method comprising adding to the composition one or more additives selected from:
 (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms; and   (b) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin and/or the alcohol and/or amine has at least 30 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         21 . A use of one or more additives to reduce the pour point of a composition comprising a pyrolysis oil, wherein the one or more additives are selected from:
 (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms; and   (b) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin and/or the alcohol and/or amine has at least 30 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the composition comprising a pyrolysis oil comprises one or more additive (c);
 wherein additive (c) is selected from one or more of:   (c1) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having fewer than 30 carbon atoms; and   (c2) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin, the alcohol and the amine, when present, have fewer than 30 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to any of  claim 20  wherein the reduction in the pour point of the composition is of at least 10° C. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to any of  claim 20  which provides one or more of:
 a reduction in discolouration on storage; 
 reduced sedimentation; 
 a reduction in the formation of gums and particulates; 
 improved filterability; and 
 an improvement in low further temperature properties. 
 
     
     
         25 . A use of one or more additives selected from:
 (a) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having at least 30 carbon atoms; and   (b) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin and/or the alcohol and/or amine has at least 30 carbon atoms;   to improve the pour point depressant performance of an additive (c) in a composition comprising a pyrolysis oil;   wherein additive (c) is selected from one or more of:   (c1) an aldehyde-alkylphenol copolymer and/or an aldehyde-alkylphenol-polyamine copolymer, wherein the alkylphenol of the copolymer comprises an alkyl group having fewer than 30 carbon atoms; and   (c2) the reaction product of an alcohol and/or amine with a copolymer of an alpha-olefin and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylate compound, wherein the alpha-olefin, the alcohol and the amine, when present, have fewer than 30 carbon atoms.