Natural oil based grease compositions and processes for making such compositions

Abstract

A grease composition is disclosed, having from 50 to 99 weight percent of a lubricating base oil, from 1 to 30 weight percent of a thickener component including one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iii) one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iv) one or more, or two or more, carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, and (v) one or more of a metal base compound, and from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives. Processes for making grease compositions are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A grease composition comprising:
 (a) from 50 to 99 weight percent of a lubricating base oil,   (b) from 1 to 30 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iii) one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iv) one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, and (v) one or more of a metal base compound; and   (c) from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives.   
     
     
         2 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lubricating base oil comprises a mineral oil, a synthetic oil, a natural oil, or a natural oil derivative, individually or in combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the natural oil derivative is a hydrogenated natural oil selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated canola oil, hydrogenated rapeseed oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated corn oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, hydrogenated olive oil, hydrogenated palm oil, hydrogenated peanut oil, hydrogenated safflower oil, hydrogenated sesame oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, hydrogenated sunflower oil, hydrogenated linseed oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, hydrogenated tung oil, hydrogenated jatropha oil, hydrogenated mustard oil, hydrogenated camelina oil, hydrogenated pennycress oil, hydrogenated castor oil, hydrogenated animal fat, individually or in combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The grease composition of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrogenated natural oil is hydrogenated castor oil. 
     
     
         5 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives comprises a hydrogenated metathesized natural oil selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated metathesized canola oil, hydrogenated metathesized rapeseed oil, hydrogenated metathesized coconut oil, hydrogenated metathesized corn oil, hydrogenated metathesized cottonseed oil, hydrogenated metathesized olive oil, hydrogenated metathesized palm oil, hydrogenated metathesized peanut oil, hydrogenated metathesized safflower oil, hydrogenated metathesized sesame oil, hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil, hydrogenated metathesized sunflower oil, hydrogenated metathesized linseed oil, hydrogenated metathesized palm kernel oil, hydrogenated metathesized tung oil, hydrogenated metathesized jatropha oil, hydrogenated metathesized mustard oil, hydrogenated metathesized camelina oil, hydrogenated metathesized pennycress oil, hydrogenated metathesized castor oil, hydrogenated metathesized animal fat, individually or in combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives comprises an hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil based wax. 
     
     
         7 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives comprises an amidated hydrogenated metathesized soybean oil based wax. 
     
     
         8 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof comprises a C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The grease composition of  claim 8 , wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof comprises a hydroxy-substituted, aliphatic, cyclic, alicyclic, aromatic, branched, saturated, unsaturated, or heteroatom substituted, carboxylic acid or ester derivative thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The grease composition of  claim 8 , wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof comprises a C 12 -C 24  hydroxy carboxylic acid or C 12 -C 24  hydroxy ester derivative of such acids. 
     
     
         11 . The grease composition of  claim 10 , wherein the C 12 -C 24  hydroxy carboxylic acid or ester derivative of such acids is 12-hydroxystearic acid and ester derivatives. 
     
     
         12 . The grease composition of  claim 10 , wherein the C 12 -C 24  hydroxy carboxylic acid ester derivative is 12-hydroxystearate. 
     
     
         13 . The grease composition of  claim 8 , wherein the C 2 -C 36  mono-, di-, tri-, and/or poly-carboxylic acid comprises a C 2  to C 12  aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. 
     
     
         14 . The grease composition of  claim 13 , wherein the C 2  to C 12  aliphatic dicarboxylic acid comprises azelaic acid. 
     
     
         15 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein said metal base compound is a metal hydroxide selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, strontium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and magnesium hydroxide. 
     
     
         16 . The grease composition of  claim 1 , wherein said optional additives are selected from the group consisting of: metal deactivators, antioxidants, antiwear agents, rust inhibitors, viscosity modifiers, extreme pressure agents, and corrosion inhibitors. 
     
     
         17 . A process for preparing a simple grease composition comprising the steps of:
 (a) adding from 1 to 30 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iii) one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iv) one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, to from 50 to 99 weight percent of a lubricating base oil, and charging this mixture to a kettle, mixer or equivalent vessel;   (b) heating the mixture from step (a) to a temperature between about 140° F. to 200° F. for approximately 30-60 minutes, in order to dissolve the one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof into the lubricating base oil;   (c) charging one or more of a metal base compound to the kettle, mixer or equivalent vessel, in an amount slightly in excess of the stoichiometric amount required to neutralize the one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof;   (d) maintaining the conditions of step (c) at a temperature between about 190° F. to about 270° F. for approximately 30-90 minutes to complete the neutralization and to effect a substantial dehydration of the mixture of step (c);   (e) heating the mixture from step (d) to about 350° F. to about 430° F. for up to approximately 60 minutes;   (f) cooling the mixture from step (e) with the assistance of incorporating an additional amount of the lubricating base oil and the removal of heat, to yield the simple grease composition; and   (g) adding from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives to the simple grease composition.   
     
     
         18 . A process for preparing a complex grease composition comprising the steps of:
 (a) adding from 1 to 30 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iii) one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iv) two or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, to from 50 to 99 weight percent of a lubricating base oil, and charging this mixture to a kettle, mixer or equivalent vessel;   (b) heating the mixture from step (a) to a temperature between about 140° F. to 200° F. for approximately 30-60 minutes, in order to dissolve the two or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof into the lubricating base oil;   (c) charging one or more of a metal base compound to the kettle, mixer or equivalent vessel, in an amount slightly in excess of the stoichiometric amount required to neutralize the two or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof;   (d) maintaining the conditions of step (c) at a temperature between about 190° F. to about 270° F. for approximately 30-90 minutes to complete the neutralization and to effect a substantial dehydration of the mixture of step (c);   (e) heating the mixture from step (d) to about 350° F. to about 430° F. for up to approximately 60 minutes;   (f) cooling the mixture from step (e) with the assistance of incorporating an additional amount of the lubricating base oil and the removal of heat, to yield the grease composition; and   (g) adding from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives to the grease composition.   
     
     
         19 . A grease composition comprising:
 (d) from 89 to 93 weight percent of a lubricating base oil,   (e) from 6 to 11 weight percent of a thickener component comprising one or more of (i) one or more natural oil derivatives, (ii) one or more hydrogenated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iii) one or more amidated metathesized natural oils and/or natural oil derivatives, (iv) one or more carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, and (v) one or more of a metal base compound; and   (f) from 1 to 15 weight percent of one or more optional additives selected from the group consisting of: metal deactivators, antioxidants, antiwear agents, rust inhibitors, viscosity modifiers, extreme pressure agents, and corrosion inhibitors.