Lubricant Composition

Abstract

The invention refers to lubricant compositions, said lubricant compositions being particularly preferred for conveyor systems, especially in the foodstuff industry, which are suitable for lubricating, cleaning and disinfecting of the transport chains. More specifically, the invention refers to lubricant compositions for conveyor systems comprising: a) one or more phosphoric acid esters; and b) one or more ether carboxylates; and e) water; and c) one or more C 6 -C 22 fatty acids, optionally ethoxylated with to 20 moles of ethylene oxide; and/or d) one or more C 6 -C 22 fatty alcohols, optionally ethoxylated with 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide wherein the weight ratio of component (a) to component (b) is in the range of 9:1 to 1:3. Said lubricant compositions can be used in conveyor systems for glass and/or plastic bottles, such as polyethylen terepthalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC); cans, glass containers, drums, cardboard containers and similar items.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A lubricant composition comprising the following essential elements,
 a) one or more phosphoric acid esters of formula (I)   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1  represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 6 -C 22  alkyl and/or alkenyl group, or a R 3 (OCH 2 —CH 2 ) m  group; 
 R 2  represents hydrogen, a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 6 -C 22  alkyl and/or alkenyl group, or a R 3 (OCH 2 CH 2 ) m  group; 
 R 3  represents hydrogen or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 6 -C 22  alkyl and/or alkenyl group; 
 m represents a number of from 1 to 15; and 
 Z represents hydrogen or a cation 
 
         b) one or more ether carboxylates of formula (II)
   R—O—(CH 2 CH 2 O) n —CH 2 COOM   (II) 
 
         wherein
 R represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 6 -C 22  alkyl and/or alkenyl group; 
 n represents a number of from 0.5 to 20, and 
 M represents hydrogen or a cation, selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, an alkylammonium, an alkanolammonium or a glucammonium; and 
 
         e) water; and 
         c) one or more C 6 -C 22  fatty acids, optionally ethoxylated with 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide; and/or 
         d) one or more C 6 -C 22  fatty alcohols, optionally ethoxylated with 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide 
         wherein the weight ratio of component (a) to component (b) is in the range of 9:1 to 1:3. 
       
     
     
         20 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the weight ratio of component (a) to component (b) is in the range of 5:1 to 1:3. 
     
     
         21 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the phosphoric acid esters of formula (I) comprise a mixture of mono- and di-esters. 
     
     
         22 . An aqueous Lubricant composition according to  claim 21 , wherein the weight ratio phosphoric mono-esters to phosphoric di-esters is from 50:50 to 95:5. 
     
     
         23 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the C 16 -C 18  proportion in the alkyl and/or alkenyl groups of the phosphoric acid esters is higher than 70%. 
     
     
         24 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the phosphoric acid esters of formula (I) are ethoxylated having an average ethoxylation degree from 2 to 8. 
     
     
         25 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein in the ether carboxylates of formula (II) n has a value in the range of 1 to 10 and M is hydrogen, sodium or potassium. 
     
     
         26 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the C 16 -C 18  proportion in the fatty acids is higher than 70%. 
     
     
         27 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the C 16 -C 18  proportion in the fatty alcohols is higher than 70%. 
     
     
         28 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , comprising, expressed as weight percentage,
 a) 10-85% of the phosphoric acid esters of formula (I)   b) 5-60% of the ether carboxylates of formula (II)   c) 0.1-30% of the fatty acids   d) 0.1-30% of the fatty alcohols   e) water add up to 100%.   
     
     
         29 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 19 , wherein the ether carboxylates of formula (II) are a mixture of
 I) C 6 -C 10  alkyl and/or alkenyl ether carboxylates having an average ethoxylation degree from 2 to 8   II) C 12 -C 18  alkyl and/or alkenyl ether carboxylates having an average ethoxylation degree from 1 to 10.   
     
     
         30 . An aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 29 , comprising, expressed as weight percentage,
 a) 15-55% of the phosphoric acid esters of formula (I)   b 1 ) 5-20% of C 8 -C 10  alkyl and/or alkenyl ether carboxylates having an average ethoxylation degree from 2 to 8   b 2 ) 10-45% of C 12 -C 18  alkyl and/or alkenyl ether carboxylates having an average ethoxylation degree from 1 to 10   c) 1-20% of the fatty acids   d) 1-20% of the fatty alcohols   e) water add up to 100%.   
     
     
         31 . An aqueous lubricant concentrated composition according to  claim 29 , wherein the weight ratio of the C 12 -C 18 , alkyl and/or alkenyl ether carboxylates to the C 6 -C 10  alkyl and/or alkenyl ether carboxylates is in the range of 8:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
         32 . An aqueous lubricant composition obtainable by diluting an aqueous lubricant composition according to  claim 28  by a factor of 2 to 10000 by volume, preferably from 5 to 1000. 
     
     
         33 . Process for lubricating conveyor systems consisting of applying an aqueous lubricant diluted composition according to  claim 19  to a conveyor system continuosly or at intervals. 
     
     
         34 . Process according to  claim 33  wherein the conveyor system is for glass bottles, plastic bottles such as polyethylene terephtalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC) bottles, cans, glass containers, drums, cardboard containers and similar items. 
     
     
         35 . Use of an aqueous lubricant diluted composition according to  claim 19  for lubricating conveyor systems. 
     
     
         36 . Use according to  claim 35  wherein the conveyor system is for glass bottles, plastic bottles such as polyethylene terephtalate (PET) or polycarbonate (PC) bottles, cans, glass containers, drums, cardboard containers and similar items.