Secondary and Tertiary Amines as Friction Modifiers for Automatic Transmission Fluids

• US 20060172899A1
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Lubrizol Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Lubrizol Corporation (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baker, Mark R., Vickerman, Richard J., Abraham, William D., Tipton, Craig D., Lahiri, Shreyasi, Patterson, Suzanne M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,618,929 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 508/545
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 141/06 at least one of them being an organic nitrogen-containing compound
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 169/045 the additives being a mixture of compounds of unknown or incompletely defined constitution and non-macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/085 Phosphorus oxides, acids or salts
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/026 with tertiary alkyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/04 having amino groups bound to acyclic or cycloaliphatic carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/042 containing hydroxy groups; Alkoxylated derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/064 Di- and triaryl amines
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/08 Amides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/223 Five-membered rings containing nitrogen and carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/28 Amides; Imides
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2219/084 containing hydroxy groups; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2223/049 Phosphite
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2227/061 Esters derived from boron
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2030/06 Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/042 for automatic transmissions

Abstract

A composition of a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity; a secondary or tertiary amine being represented by the formula R¹R²NR³ wherein R¹ and R² are alkyl groups of at least 6 carbon atoms and R³ is hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group, a hydroxyl-containing alkyl group, or an amine-containing alkyl group; and a dispersant, provides high static coefficients of friction and a durable positive slope during oxidative and mechanical stressing, particularly as a friction component of an automatic transmission.

Claims

1. A composition suitable for lubricating a transmission, comprising:

(a) a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity;

(b) a secondary or tertiary amine being represented by the formula

R¹R²NR³

wherein R¹ and R² are each independently an alkyl group of at least 6 carbon atoms and R³ is a hydroxyl-containing alkyl group, a hydroxyl-containing alkoxyalkyl group, an amine-containing alkyl group, a hydrocarbyl group, or hydrogen, provided that when R³ is H, then at least one of R¹ and R² is an alkyl group of 8 to 16 carbon atoms; and

(c) a dispersant.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein R¹ and R² are each independently alkyl groups of about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms and R³ is hydrogen.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein the secondary or tertiary amine comprises di-cocoalkyl amine.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein R³ is —

CH₂—

CHOH—

R⁴ where R⁴ is hydrogen or an alkyl group.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein R⁴ is an alkyl group of 1 to about 26 carbon atoms.

6. The composition of claim 4 wherein R⁴ is methyl.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein the amine of (b) is represented by the formula

R¹R²N—

CH₂—

CHOH—

CH₃

wherein R¹ and R² are each independently alkyl groups of about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms.

8. The composition of claim 6 wherein the amine of (b) comprises the reaction product of di-cocoalkyl amine and propylene oxide.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein the amount of the amine of (b) is about 0.01 to about 10 percent by weight.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the dispersant comprises a succinimide dispersant.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the amount of the dispersant is about 0.3 to about 10 percent by weight.

12. The composition of claim 1 further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of detergents, antioxidants, seal swell agents, anti-wear agents, and friction modifiers.

13. The composition of claim 1 further comprising, at least one additive selected from the group consisting or organic borate esters organic borate salts, organic phosphorus esters, organic phosphorus salts, inorganic phosphorus acids, and inorganic phosphorus salts.

14. The composition prepared by mixing the components of claim 1.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the transmission is an automatic transmission.

18. The composition of claim 1 wherein R³ is a polyol-containing alkyl group.

19. The composition of claim 1 wherein the amine of (b) is represented by the formula

R¹R²N—

CH₂—

CHOH—

CH₂OH

wherein R¹ and R² are each independently alkyl groups of about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms.

20. The composition of claim 1 wherein the amine of (b) comprises the reaction product of di-cocoamine and one or more moles of 2,3-epoxy-1-propanol or 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol.

15. A concentrate suitable for dilution with oil of lubricating viscosity to prepare a lubricant for a transmission, comprising:

(a) a concentrate-forming amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity;

(b) a secondary or tertiary amine being represented by the formula

R¹R²NR³

wherein R¹ and R² are each independently an alkyl group of at least 6 carbon atoms and R³ is a hydroxyl-containing alkyl group, a hydroxyl-containing alkoxyalkyl group, an amine-containing alkyl group, a hydrocarbyl group, or hydrogen, provided that when R³ is H, then at least one of R¹ and R² is an alkyl group of 8 to 16 carbon atoms; and

(c) a dispersant.

16. A method for lubricating a transmission, comprising supplying thereto a lubricant comprising:

(a) a major amount of an oil of lubricating viscosity; and

(b) a secondary or tertiary amine being represented by the formula

R¹R²NR³

wherein R¹ and R² are each independently an alkyl group of at least 6 carbon atoms and R³ is a hydroxyl-containing alkyl group, a hydroxyl-containing alkoxyalkyl group, an amine-containing alkyl group, a hydrocarbyl group, or hydrogen, provided that when R³ is H, then at least one of R¹ and R² is an alkyl group of 8 to 16 carbon atoms.