Lubricant Compositions Including Alpha-Olefin Copolymers

Abstract

A lubricant composition may include a copolymer having constitutional units formed from monomers including an alpha-olefin and an α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule, where the composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of at most 20 centistokes, or of at least 40 centistokes. A lubricant composition may include a copolymer having constitutional units formed from monomers including an alpha-olefin, an α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule and an α-(carboxylic acid)-alk-ω-ene molecule, where the composition has a viscosity that varies as the molar ratio of the α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule α-(carboxylic acid)-alk-ω-ene molecule in the monomers varies.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A lubricant composition, comprising:
 a copolymer comprising constitutional units formed from monomers, the monomers comprising:
 1-dodecene, and 
 an α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule; 
   wherein the composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 5 to 20 centistokes.   
     
     
         33 . The lubricant composition of  claim 32 , where the α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule is 9-decenoic acid methyl ester. 
     
     
         34 . The lubricant composition of  claim 32 , where the α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule is selected from the group consisting of 9-decenoic acid methyl ester, 9-decenoic acid ethyl ester, 9-decenoic acid propyl ester, 10-undecenoic acid methyl ester, 10-undecenoic acid ethyl ester, 10-undecenoic acid propyl ester, 11-dodecenoic acid methyl ester, 11-dodecenoic acid ethyl ester, and 11-dodecenoic acid propyl ester. 
     
     
         35 . The lubricant composition of  claim 32 , where the monomers further comprise an alpha-olefin having from 8 to 16 carbon atoms;
 where the molar ratio of the 1-dodecene to the alpha-olefin is at least 2:1.   
     
     
         36 . The lubricant composition of  claim 32 , where the monomers further comprise at least one unsaturated monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, a styrene, a halogenated vinyl compound, an acrylate, an acrylamide, acrylonitrile, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, an alpha-alkenol, an alpha-alkenyl acetate, an alpha-alkenyl halide, allyl cyclohexane, allyl cyclopentane, and substituted derivatives thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The lubricant composition of  claim 32 , where the composition further comprises at most 50 wt % of a lubricant additive. 
     
     
         38 . The lubricant composition of  claim 32 , where the composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 10 to 15 centistokes. 
     
     
         39 . A method of forming a lubricant composition, comprising:
 providing a reaction mixture comprising:
 a first monomer, which is 1-dodecene, and 
 a second monomer, which is an α-ester-alk-ω-ene molecule; and 
   forming a product mixture comprising a copolymer comprising constitutional units formed from the first monomer and second monomer;   wherein the composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 5 to 20 centistokes.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , where the reaction mixture further comprises di-t-amyl peroxide. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , where the reaction mixture further comprises a chain-transfer agent selected from a thiol compound and a halide compound.