Long life lubricating oil composition using particular detergent mixture

• US 6,140,282 A
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: Cartwright, Stanley James, Finch, James Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Howard, Jacqueline V.
• Application Number:
  US09/464,531
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 508/398, 508/413, 508/460, 508/518, 508/417
• US Class Current: 508/398
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 129/54 containing hydroxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 135/10 Sulfonic acids or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 159/20 Reaction mixtures having an excess of neutralising base, e.g. so-called overbasic or highly basic products
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 159/22 containing phenol radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 159/24 containing sulfonic radicals
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 163/00 Lubricating compositions characterised by the additive being a mixture of a compound of unknown or incompletely defined constitution and a non-macromolecular compound, each of these compounds being essential
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/028 Overbased salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/144 containing hydroxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/26 Overbased carboxylic acid salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/262 derived from hydroxy substituted aromatic acids, e.g. salicylates
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2219/044 Sulfonic acids, Derivatives thereof, e.g. neutral salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2219/046 Overbasedsulfonic acid salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2219/089 Overbased salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/10 Inhibition of oxidation, e.g. anti-oxidants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/25 Internal-combustion engines

Abstract

A long life lubricating oil as evidenced by a reduction in viscosity increase, oxidation and nitration, comprises a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of a mixture of high TBN, medium TBN and low/neutral TBN detergents wherein metal salicylate detergent is at least one of the medium or low/neutral TBN detergents.

Claims

1. A long life lubricant comprising a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity and a minor amount of additives comprising a mixture of detergents comprising a first metal salt or group of metal salts selected from the group consisting of one or more metal salicylate(s), metal sulfonate(s), metal phenate(s) and mixtures thereof having a high Total Base Number (TBN) of greater than about 150 or higher used in an amount in combination with the other metal salts sufficient to achieve a lubricating oil of no more than about 0.6 wt % sulfated ash content, a second metal salt or group of metal salts selected from the group consisting of one or more metal salicylate(s) metal sulfonate(s), metal phenate(s) and mixtures thereof having a medium TBN of greater than about 50 to 150, and a third metal salt or group of metal salts selected from the group consisting of one or more metal sulfonate(s), metal salicylate(s) and mixtures thereof having a low/neutral TBN of about 10 to 50, the total amount of medium plus low/neutral TBN detergents being about 0.7 vol % or higher, based on active ingredient, and the volume ratio, based on active ingredient, of high TBN detergent to medium plus low/neutral TBN detergent is in the range of about 0.05 to 1.05, and wherein at least one of the medium or low/neutral TBN detergent(s) is metal salicylate.

2. The long life lubricant composition of claim 1 wherein at least one of the medium TBN detergent(s) is a metal salicylate.

3. The long life lubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the metal components of the metal sulfonate, metal phenate and metal salicylate are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals.

4. The long life lubricant composition of claim 1 wherein the total amount of the metal salicylate(s) in the mixture is in the amount of 0.2 to 4.0 vol % based on active ingredient.

5. The long life lubricant composition of claim 4 wherein the mixture of detergents is present in an amount up to about 10 vol % based on active ingredients.

6. The long life lubricant composition of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the total amount of medium plus neutral/low TBN detergent is about 0.9 vol % or higher, active ingredient.

7. The long life lubricant composition of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the total amount of medium plus neutral/low TBN detergent is about 1.0 vol % or higher, active ingredient.

15. The long life lubricant composition of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the first metal salt or group of metal salts of high Total Base Number has a TBN of greater than about 150 to 300.

16. The long life lubricant composition of claim 6 wherein the first metal salt or group of metal salts of high Total Base Number has a TBN of greater than about 150 to 300.

17. The long life lubricant composition of claim 7 wherein the first metal salt or group of metal salts of high Total Base Number has a TBN of greater than about 150 to 300.

8. A method for enhancing the life of a lubricating oil composition as evidenced by a reduction in viscosity increase, oxidation and nitration by adding to the oil a minor amount of additives comprising a mixture of detergents comprising a first metal salt or group of metal salts selected from the group consisting of one or more metal sulfonate(s), metal salicylate(s), metal phenate(s) and mixtures thereof having a high Total Base Number (TBN) of greater than about 150 or higher used in an amount in combination with the other metal salts to achieve a lubricating oil of no more than about 0.6 wt % sulfated ash content, a second metal salt or group of metal salts selected from the group consisting of a metal salicylate(s) metal sulfonate(s), metal phenate(s), and mixtures thereof having a medium TBN of greater than about 50 to 150, and a third metal salt or group of metal salts selected from the group consisting of metal sulfonate(s), metal salicylate(s) and mixtures thereof having a low/neutral TBN of about 10 to 50, the total amount of medium plus low/neutral TBN detergents being about 0.7 vol % or higher (based on active ingredient) and the volume ratio of high TBN detergent to medium plus low/neutral TBN detergent is in the range of about 0.05 to 1.05, wherein at least one of the medium or low/neutral detergent(s) is metal salicylate.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the medium TBN detergent(s) is metal salicylate.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the metal components of the metal sulfonate, metal phenate and metal salicylate are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the total amount of the metal salicylate(s) in the mixture is in the amount of 0.2 to 4.0 vol % based on active ingredient.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the mixture of detergents is present in an amount up to about 10 vol % based on active ingredients.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the total amount of medium plus neutral/low TBN detergent is about 0.9 vol % or higher, active ingredient.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the total amount of medium plus neutral/low TBN detergent is about 1.0 vol % or higher, active ingredient.

18. The method of claim 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14 wherein the first metal salt or group of metal salts of high Total Base Number has a TBN of greater than about 150 to 300.