Composition to improve low temperature properties and oxidation stability of vegetable oils and animal fats

Abstract

The present invention describes a composition comprising: (A) at least one polyalkyl (meth) acrylate polymer having a number average molecular weight M n of from 15000 to 75000 g/mol; (B) at least one ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer comprising units being derived from at least one alkyl (meth) acrylate having 1 to 30 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue; (C) a phenolic type anti-oxidant; (D) a mixture stabilizer; and (E) a glycol ether solvent. The composition is useful as cold flow improver and oxidation stabilizer in vegetable oils and animal fats.

1 . A composition, comprising
 (A) 35% to 50% by weight of a polyalkyl (meth)acrylate polymer;   (B) 5% to 15% by weight of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer comprising a unit derived from at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate having 1 to 30 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue;   (C) 10% to 20% by weight of a phenolic type antioxidant;   (D) 10% to 25% by weight of a mixture stabilizer; and   (E) 10% to 20% by weight of a glycol ether solvent   
       wherein the sum of all components (A) to (E) of the composition adds up to 100% by weight. 
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyalkyl (meth)acrylate polymer of component (A) comprises:
 (a) 0 to 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer, of a unit derived from one or more alkyl(meth)acrylate monomers of formula (I)   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein 
           R denotes hydrogen or methyl and 
           R 1  denotes a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl residue with 1 to 6 carbon atoms; 
         
         (b) 40 to 99% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer, of a unit derived from one or more alkyl(meth)acrylate monomers of formula (II) 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein 
           R denotes hydrogen or methyl and 
           R 2  denotes a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl residue with 7 to 15 carbon atoms; and 
         
         (c) 0.1 to 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the polymer, of a unit derived from one or more alkyl(meth)acrylate monomers of formula (III) 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein 
           R denotes hydrogen or methyl and 
           R 3  denotes a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl residue with 16 to 30 carbon atoms, wherein the sum of all components (a) to (c) adds up to 100% by weight. 
         
       
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer of component (B) comprises:
 (i) from 2 to 40% by weight of vinyl acetate;   (ii) from 30 to 80% by weight of a unit derived from at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate having 1 to 30 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue; and   (iii) from 5 to 40% by weight of a unit derived from ethylene,   wherein the sum of all components (i) to (iii) adds up to 100% by weight.   
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer of component (B) comprises from 30 to 90% by weight of a unit derived from at least one alkyl (meth)acrylate having 7 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer of component (B) is a graft copolymer having an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer as graft base and an alkyl (meth)acrylate having 1 to 30 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue as graft layer. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 5 , wherein the weight ratio of graft base to graft layer is in the range of from 1:1 to 1:20. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyalkyl(meth)acrylate polymer of component (A) comprises at least 50% by weight of a unit derived from an alkyl (meth)acrylate having 7 to 20 carbon atoms in the alkyl residue. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 7 , wherein the polydispersity M w /M n  of said polyalkyl(meth)acrylate polymer is in the range of from 1.1 to 5. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the polyalkyl(meth)acrylate polymer of component (A) to the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer of component (B) is in the range of from 15:1 to 1:1. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the phenolic type antioxidant of component (C) to the ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer of component (B) is in the range of from 5:1 to 1:5. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the phenolic type antioxidant of component (C) is a phenolic compound having 2 or more hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture stabilizer of component (D) is a sterically hindered phenol. 
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 12 , wherein said sterically hindered phenol is 2,4-di-tert-butylhydroxytoluene. 
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a demulsifier, a defoamer, a lubricity additive, an additional antioxidant, a cetane number improver, a detergent, a dye, a corrosion inhibitor, a metal deactivator, a metal passivator and an odorant. 
     
     
         15 . A method of lowering a pour point of a vegetable oil or an animal fat, the method comprising adding the composition of  claim 1  to a vegetable oil or an animal fat. 
     
     
         16 . A method of improving an oxidation stability of a vegetable oil or an animal fat, the method comprising adding the composition of  claim 1  to a vegetable oil or an animal fat. 
     
     
         17 . A lubricant, comprising:
 (I) 0.01 to 4% by weight of the composition according to  claim 1 , based on the total weight of the lubricant; and   (II) 96 to 99.9% by weight of a vegetable or an animal fat, based on the total weight of the lubricant.   
     
     
         18 . The lubricant according to  claim 17 , wherein component (I) is present in an amount of 0.05% by weight and component (II) is present in an amount of 98 to 99.5% by weight, each based on the total weight of the lubricant.