Cable grease composition and articles incorporating same

• US 5,433,872 A
• Filed: 01/18/1994
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rutherford Chemicals LLC (VSI Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: CasChem, Inc.
• Inventors: Chu, Jack C., Brauer, Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Jerry D.
• Application Number:
  US08/182,923
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 252/28, 385/100, 523/173
• US Class Current: 508/136
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 107/34 Polyoxyalkylenes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 113/10 Clays; Micas
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 113/12 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 129/10 having hydroxy groups bound to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 129/76 containing free hydroxy or carboxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 145/14 Acrylate; Methacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 145/22 Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 145/36 etherified
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 145/38 esterified
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 149/18 Polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 169/00 Lubricating compositions characterised by containing as components a mixture of at least two types of ingredient selected from base-materials, thickeners or additives, covered by the preceding groups, each of these compounds being essential
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/103 Clays; Mica; Zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/1036 used as thickening agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/105 Silica
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/14 inorganic compounds surface treated with organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/145 used as thickening agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2205/00 Organic macromolecular hydrocarbon compounds or fractions, whether or not modified by oxidation as ingredients in lubricant compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2205/026 Butene
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2205/04 containing aromatic monomers, e.g. styrene
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2205/06 containing conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/023 : having hydroxy groups bound to carbon atoms of six-membered aromatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/026 : with tertiary alkyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/027 : Neutral salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/287 : Partial esters
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/288 : containing free carboxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/289 : containing free hydroxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/084 : Acrylate; Methacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1013 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/102 : Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1023 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1033 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/104 : of alkylene oxides containing two carbon atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1045 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/105 : of alkylene oxides containing three carbon atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1055 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/106 : of alkylene oxides containing four carbon atoms only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1065 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1075 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/108 : etherified
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1085 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/109 : esterified
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1095 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2211/06 : Perfluorinated compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/02 : obtained from monomers containing carbon, hydrogen and halogen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/062 : Polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2217/044 : Polyamides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2217/045 : Polyureas; Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/041 : containing aliphatic substituents
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2020/01 : Physico-chemical properties
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/00 : Specified use or application for which the lubricating composition is intended
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/30 : Refrigerators lubricants or compressors lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/32 : Wires, ropes or cables lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/34 : Lubricating-sealants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/36 : Release agents or mold release agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/38 : Conveyors or chain belts
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/40 : Generators or electric motors in oil or gas winning field
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/42 : Flashing oils or marking oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/44 : Super vacuum or supercritical use
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/50 : Medical uses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4401 : Optical cables glass fibres with a protective coating G02B6/02395

Abstract

A grease composition for use as a cable filling material which contains about 75 to 95 parts by weight of a base component of a liquid or semi-solid polyol having a molecular weight of at least 4000 and a reduced amount of mono-unsaturated compounds, about 1 to 15 parts by weight of a thickening agent such as colloidal particles of silica, and between 1 and 5 parts by weight of an antioxidant. Optionally, a thermoplastic elastomer can be added to improve bleed resistance.

Claims

1. A buffer tube gel consisting essentially of about 75 to 95 parts by weight of a polyol having a molecular weight of at least 4000 and no more than 0.05 meq/g of unsaturated mono-compounds;

about 2 to 15 parts by weight of a thickening agent; and

about 1 to 5 parts by weight of an antioxidant so that the composition has an oxidative induction time of at least about 10 minutes at 190°

C. in a pure oxygen environment.

2. The gel of claim 1 wherein the thickening agent comprises colloidal particles.

3. The gel of claim 2 wherein the colloidal particles are silica, clay or a mixture thereof.

4. The gel of claim 2 wherein the colloidal particles comprise hydrophobic fumed silica, precipitated silica, clay or a mixture thereof.

5. The gel of claim 2 wherein the colloidal particles are present in an amount of about 4 to 12 parts by weight.

6. The gel of claim 1 wherein the polyol is present in an amount of between about 80 and 95 parts by weight and has a molecular weight of between 4,000 and 25,000.

7. The gel of claim 1 wherein the polyol has a molecular weight of between about 6,000 and 15,000 and a content of mono unsaturated compounds of no greater than 0.05 meq/g.

8. The gel of claim 1 wherein the polyol has a molecular weight of between about 8,000 and 12,000 and a content of mono unsaturated compounds of no greater than 0.03 meq/g.

9. The gel of claim 1 further consisting essentially of up to about 15 parts by weight of an elastomer to act as a bleed inhibitor.

10. The gel of claim 9 wherein the elastomer is a polyurethane elastomer.

11. The gel of claim 10 wherein the polyurethane elastomer includes a pendent or extra-linear terminally unsaturated ##STR3## group.

12. The gel of claim 1 wherein the antioxidant is a sterically hindered phenolic compound.

13. The gel of claim 1 wherein the antioxidant has bis hindered phenol rings connected by a polyether linkage.

14. The gel of claim 1 wherein the antioxidant is triethylene glycol bis[3-(3'"'"'-tert-butyl-4'"'"'-hydroxy-5'"'"'-methyl phenyl)propionate].

15. An article of manufacture comprising a buffer tube having a sheath, the buffer tube gel of claim 1 located within the sheath and plurality of optical fibers located within the cable sheath in contact with the gel.