Gasoline fuel composition, method for the preparation and use of such a composition

Abstract

The disclosure includes a petrol fuel composition including at least 70 mass % of a petrol fuel and at least one viscosifying compound which can increase the dynamic viscosity of the petrol fuel to a dynamic viscosity value, at a temperature of 40° C. and at atmospheric pressure, which is equal to or greater than 10 mPa·s, preferably 100 mPa·s, and imparting thereto a rheofluidifying nature. This disclosure also includes a method for preparing a petrol fuel composition of this type and its use as fuel for the internal combustion engine of a motor racing vehicle.

1 . A gasoline fuel composition comprising at least 70% by weight of a gasoline fuel and at least one viscosifying compound able to increase the dynamic viscosity of the gasoline fuel up to a dynamic viscosity value greater than or equal to 10 mPa·s measured at a temperature of 40° C. and at atmospheric pressure and endow it with a shear-thinning character. 
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition has shear-thinning behaviour on application of a stress of between 100 and 1000 s −1 . 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscosifying compound is selected from the viscosifying compounds able to endow the composition with a thixotropic character. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscosifying compound is selected from the derivatives of the N-substituted ureas and N-substituted bis-ureas, symmetric or asymmetric, alone or in a mixture. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the viscosifying compound is selected from the derivatives of the N-substituted bis-ureas, symmetric or asymmetric, alone or in a mixture. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the viscosifying compound comprises at least one substituent borne by a nitrogen atom of a urea function of the viscosifying compound, the substituent being selected from the group consisting of the C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, C 5  to C 10  heterocyclic rings, optionally substituted with one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 10  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the viscosifying compound comprises at least one substituent borne by a nitrogen atom of a urea function of the viscosifying compound, the substituent being selected from the group consisting of the linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 24  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscosifying compound is represented by the following formula (1): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R 1  and R 2 , are identical or different, represent independently a group selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 24  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S and/or one or more C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, and 
 (b) C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, C 5  to C 10  heterocyclic rings, optionally substituted with one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 10  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S. 
 
       
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscosifying compound is represented by the following formula (2): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein: 
         Y represents a group selected from the group consisting of:
 (a) C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, C 5  to C 10  heterocyclic rings, optionally substituted with one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 10  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, 
 (b) linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, C 1  to C 24  hydrocarbon-containing chains the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S, 
 
         R 3  and R 4 , are identical or different, represent independently a group selected from the group consisting of linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 24  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S and/or one or more C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings. 
       
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein Y represents a group selected from the group consisting of C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, C 5  to C 10  heterocyclic rings, optionally substituted with one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 10  hydrocarbon chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein R 3  and R 4 , are identical or different and represent independently a group selected from the group consisting of linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, C 1  to C 24  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S in the form of one or more functions selected from the ether, ester, ketone, amine, amide, imine, thiol, thioether or thioester functions and/or one or more C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, optionally substituted with one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 10  hydrocarbon-containing chains. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein R 3  and R 4 , are identical or different and represent independently the —CH(R 6 )COOR 7  group wherein R 6  and R 7 , are identical or different, are selected independently from the group consisting of linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic C 1  to C 24  hydrocarbon-containing chains, the chains optionally containing one or more C 5  to C 10  monocyclic or polycyclic aromatic rings, optionally substituted with one or more linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1  to C 10  hydrocarbon-containing chains. 
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the viscosifying compound is represented by the following formula (3): 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R 3  and R 4  are as defined in  claim 9  and R 5  represents a group selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C 1  to C 12  hydrocarbon-containing chains. 
       
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the viscosifying compound has a molecular weight less than or equal to 2000 g·mol −1 . 
     
     
         15 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises between 0.01 and 5% by weight of the viscosifying compound. 
     
     
         16 . The composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additives selected from detergent additives, anti-valve recession additives, antioxidants and additives for increasing electrical conductivity. 
     
     
         17 . A method for preparing a gasoline fuel composition, the method comprising dissolving, at ambient temperature, a viscosifying compound in at least 70% by weight of a liquid gasoline fuel, the viscosifying compound increasing a dynamic viscosity of the gasoline fuel up to a dynamic viscosity value greater than or equal to 10 mPa·s, measured at a temperature of 40° C. and at atmospheric pressure, and endowing the gasoline fuel with a shear-thinning character. 
     
     
         18 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of supplying fuel to an internal-combustion engine comprising supplying the engine with the gasoline fuel composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising improving performance of a vehicle with an internal-combustion engine by supplying the engine with a gasoline fuel composition comprising at least 70% by weight of a gasoline fuel and at least one viscosifying compound able to increase the dynamic viscosity of the gasoline fuel up to a dynamic viscosity value greater than or equal to 10 mPa·s measured at a temperature of 40° C. and at atmospheric pressure, and endowing it with a shear-thinning character. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the vehicle is a competition motor vehicle. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the competition motor vehicle comprises a tank intended to contain the fuel including a single cell without subdivision. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising improving dynamic stability of a competition motor vehicle with the internal-combustion engine by the supplying the engine with the gasoline fuel composition, wherein the competition motor vehicle weighs less than 1000 kg. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising improving road holding of a competition motor vehicle, by lowering an average center of gravity of the vehicle and wherein the competition motor vehicle weighs less than 1000 kg.