REFRIGERANT COMPOSITIONS INCLUDING SILYL TERMINATED POLYALKYLENE GLYCOLS AS LUBRICANTS AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME

• US 20100012882A1
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies, Inc. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johns, Adam M., Serrano, Myrna, Sherman, John W., Redwine, Oscar D.
• Application Number:
  US12/421,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20100012882A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/68
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 65/336 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/02 Polyalkylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/045 containing only fluorine as halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 107/50 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1045 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1055 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/0475 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/30 Refrigerators lubricants or compressors lubricants

Abstract

Silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol lubricants for devices that provide cooling or refrigeration, refrigerant compositions including silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol lubricants, and methods for making the same. The lubricant is compatible with hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants such as hydrofluoroolefins (“HFO”), R-134(a), R-152(a), and carbon dioxide.

Claims

1. A silyl-terminated polyalkylene glycol compound that resists water absorption having a number average molecular weight ranging from about 500 to about 4000.

2. The silyl-terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 1 comprising a silyl end group having the formula:

R₁R₂R₃Si—

wherein

R₁, R₂, and R₃ are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, functionalized alkyl, functionalized aryl, and combinations thereof.

3. The silyl-terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 1 having the formula:

R₅—

(O—

(PO)_m(EO)_nSiR₁R₂R₃)_x

wherein

PO is a propylene oxide unit;

EO is ethylene oxide unit;

R₁, R₂, and R₃ are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, functionalized alkyl, functionalized aryl, and combinations thereof;

m is a number of at least 0;

n is a number at of least 0;

x is a number of at least 1;

R₅ is an x valent hydrocarbyl group; and

m+n is a number greater than 0.

4. The silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 3, wherein at least one of R₁, R₂ and R₃ is a fluorinated alkyl.

5. The silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 1, wherein said compound has a number average molecular weight of from about 800 to about 2000.

6. The silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 1, wherein at temperatures of from about −

40°

C. to about 40°

C., said compound is miscible in a refrigerant selected from the group consisting of R-134(a), R-152(a), hydrofluoroolefins and mixtures thereof.

7. The silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 1, having a viscosity at about 40°

C. of from about 22 cSt to about 220 cSt.

8. A method for preparing a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound comprising reacting a suitable polyalkylene glycol having propylene oxide units with a silyl hydrocarbyl amine in a suitable solvent for a sufficient period of time to produce a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the silyl hydrocarbyl amine has the formula:

R₁ R₂R₃SiN(R₄)₂

wherein R₁, R₂, R₃ are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, functionalized alkyl, functionalized aryl, and combinations thereof; and

R₄ is an alkyl or aryl.

10. The method of preparing a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 8, wherein said silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound has the formula:

R₅—

(O—

(PO)_m(EO)_nSiR₁R₂R₃)_x

wherein

PO is a propylene oxide unit;

EO is an ethylene oxide unit;

R₁, R₂, and R₃ are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, substituted aryl, functionalized alkyl, functionalized aryl, and combinations thereof;

x is a number of at least 1;

R₅ is an x valent hydrocarbyl group;

m is a number greater than 0; and

n is a number of at least 0.

11. The method of preparing a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol of claim 10, wherein at least one of R₁, R₂, and R₃ is a fluorinated alkyl.

12. The method of preparing a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 8, wherein said silyl terminated polyakylene glycol lubricant is made according to the reaction:

13. The method of preparing a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol compound of claim 8, wherein said silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol lubricant has a number average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 4000.

14. A refrigerant composition, comprising a refrigerant, and a silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol lubricant.

15. The refrigerant composition of claim 14, wherein said silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol lubricant has the formula:

R₅—

(O—

(PO)_m(EO)_nSiR₁R₂R₃)_x

wherein

PO is a propylene oxide unit;

EO is an ethylene oxide unit;

R₁, R₂, and R₃ are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, functionalized alkyl, functionalized aryl, and combinations thereof;

x is a number of at least 1;

R₅ is an x valent hydrocarbyl group;

m is a number of at least 0;

n is a number at of least 0; and

m+n is greater than 0;

wherein said composition has a viscosity in a range of from about 10 to about 460 cSt at 40°

C. and said lubricant is miscible in said refrigerant at a temperature range of from about −

40°

C. to about 40°

C.

16. The refrigerant composition of claim 15, wherein at least one of R₁, R₂ and R₃ is a fluorinated alkyl.

17. The refrigeration composition of claim 14, wherein said silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol refrigerant lubricant has a viscosity in a range of from about 22 to about 220 cSt at 40°

C.

18. The refrigeration composition of claim 14, wherein said silyl terminated polyalkylene glycol refrigerant lubricant has a number average molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 4000.

19. The refrigeration composition of claim 14, wherein the refrigerant is a hydrofluorocarbon.

20. The refrigeration composition of claim 14, wherein the refrigerant has a GWP of less than about 150.