Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
  • D06M15/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
  • D06M15/19—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment with synthetic macromolecular compounds
  • D06M15/21—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
  • C10L1/00—Liquid carbonaceous fuels
  • C10L1/10—Liquid carbonaceous fuels containing additives
  • C10L1/14—Organic compounds
  • C10L1/16—Hydrocarbons
  • C10L1/1625—Hydrocarbons macromolecular compounds
  • C10L1/1633—Hydrocarbons macromolecular compounds homo- or copolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to carbon unsaturated bonds
  • C10L1/1641—Hydrocarbons macromolecular compounds homo- or copolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to carbon unsaturated bonds from compounds containing aliphatic monomers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
  • C10M143/00—Lubricating compositions characterised by the additive being a macromolecular hydrocarbon or such hydrocarbon modified by oxidation
  • C10M143/06—Lubricating compositions characterised by the additive being a macromolecular hydrocarbon or such hydrocarbon modified by oxidation containing butene
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
  • D06M13/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
  • D06M13/02—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment with hydrocarbons
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
  • D06M15/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
  • D06M15/19—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment with synthetic macromolecular compounds
  • D06M15/21—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • D06M15/227—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds of hydrocarbons, or reaction products thereof, e.g. afterhalogenated or sulfochlorinated
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
  • C10M2205/00—Organic macromolecular hydrocarbon compounds or fractions, whether or not modified by oxidation as ingredients in lubricant compositions
  • C10M2205/02—Organic macromolecular hydrocarbon compounds or fractions, whether or not modified by oxidation as ingredients in lubricant compositions containing acyclic monomers
  • C10M2205/026—Butene
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
  • C10N—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS C10M RELATING TO LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS
  • C10N2070/00—Specific manufacturing methods for lubricant compositions

Definitions

• the present invention relates to coatings and lubricants and, more specifically, to the use of an ultrahigh molecular weight polymer as an additive for coating and lubricating products.
• Polymeric additives such as polyisobutylene, are known to improve certain properties of lubricants.
• High molecular weight is viewed as a liability because shear degradation can destroy qualities imparted to a lubricant, especially when very low concentrations of polymer are used in the product.
• ultrahigh molecular weight polymer ' s such as polyisobutylene
• high concentrations of relatively low molecular weight polymers such as low molecular weight polyisobutylene, have been used as lubricant additives.
• ultrahigh molecular weight polymer such as ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene
• a medicinal grade mineral oil or other solvent can be transformed from a poor lubricant to a much better than average lubricant through the addition of less than one percent ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene, and no other additives are required.
• Both the solvent and the polymer are nontoxic, and the resulting product is likewise nontoxic.
• the present invention is a method of using an ultrahigh molecular weight polymer, preferably ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene, as a additive to enhance the lubricating properties of a solvent.
• the ultra-high molecular weight polymer, preferably polyisobutylene, used in the present invention has a molecular weight of at least about
• the solvent can be a medicinal grade mineral oil.
• suitable solvents include hydrocarbon oil and synthetic compositions. In all cases, the lubricating properties of the solvent are greatly enhanced by the addition of ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene.
• an ultrahigh molecular weight polymer again preferably ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene having a molecular weight and provided in the concentrations described above, is used as an additive to enhance the coating properties of a solvent.
• the solvent can be a medicinal grade mineral oil, a hydrocarbon oil or any synthetic composition.
• an ultrahigh molecular weight polymer preferably ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene, is used as an additive to enhance the coating properties of a mineral oil-based sunscreen formulation.
• the fibers of a fabric material are coated with an ultrahigh molecular weight polymer to greatly strengthen the fabric.
• Ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene provided in a solvent in a range of concentrations from 0.05 to 5 percent has been found to confer both lubricating and coating properties to the solvent vehicle.
• the resultant solution is cohesive and exceptionally slippery.
• the slippery nature imparted by the polyisobutylene transforms a non-lubricant paraffinic solvent to a lubricant.
• non-lubricants can be converted to lubricants by introducing very low concentrations of ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene.
• the polyisobutylene molecule conferring lubricant properties in a simple solvent is a non- vaporizing solid
• the polymer remains on and in treated surfaces as a tough, durable, water-resistant, rust- resisting film.
• the residual film can be made to contain more or less residual solvent. In this way, the coating characteristics and the lubricating properties can be controlled.
• a bullet-proof vest can be strengthened by coating the fibers of the vest with ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene.
• ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene can be added to a nontoxic solvent, such as medicinal grade mineral oil, to provide excellent, durable lubricants for sliding doors and exposed hinges.
• a nontoxic solvent such as medicinal grade mineral oil
• products with enhanced coating and lubricating properties formed by the addition of ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene in accordance with the present invention can be water-white and clear and leave colorless transparent films. Unlike glass, however, the films are stretchable and "self-healing" down to as low as -80°C (below which the polyisobutylene molecules freeze) . Above that temperature, the polyisobutylene molecules are free to move via snake-like "reptation.”
• Reptation motion assures interpenetration and cohesiveness of the intermolecular matrix, which cannot be cracked. Since the polyisobutylene molecules have a length-to-diameter ratio of 27,000 to 1, the high molecular surface area assures that many sites are available for attachment to other surfaces by adsorption. The small molecular diameter and the probing motion via reptation assure that these long molecules can penetrate nanometer-sized pores and cracks in metal, ceramic, wood, paper, leather, and rubber surfaces, resulting in vastly superior coating and lubricating properties.
• reptation Since the phenomenon of reptation is believed to be at least partly responsible under certain conditions for the improved lubricating and coating properties of the invention, a discussion of reptation is appropriate.
• Short chain saturated paraffin molecules are very small, both in length and width.
• Decane for example, consists of a linear "snake" of two terminal CH 3 groups and eight CH 2 groups. The groups are connected via the overlap of hybrid sp 3 carbon atom orbitals.
• One characteristic of this mode of carbon-carbon bonding is free rotation about the backbone bonds. The absence of bulky side groups favors essentially unrestricted rotation.
• Another characteristic of the chemical structure is that neighboring bonds enclose an angle of approximately 109 degrees. At temperatures where decane is liquid, the molecule moves as a whole while the connected groups simultaneously rotate essentially independently of each other. This is a random dance of a moving molecule.
• a six million dalton molecular weight polyisobutylene can be compressed or confined to a spherical volume with a diameter of approximately 0.027 microns. Completely stretched out, this molecule would extend 13.4 microns and its width would be approximately 0.00051 microns.
• the small molecular diameter illustrates the potential for the reptating ends of the molecule to penetrate into very small openings or to bond to surfaces. Furthermore, the potential to reptate long distances along closely conforming surfaces suggests a strong tendency for surface coating and bonding via Van der Waals exchange forces. The latter is of importance in the fields of tribology (lubrication, friction, and drag reduction) , corrosion inhibition, and wear reduction.
• Reptation of the ends of the polymer chain confers desirable qualities on coating and lubricant formulations for many types of consumer and industrial products, as described in the examples below. Since reptation is powered by the automatic conversion of ambient thermal energy to mechanical motion (Brownian motion) , it is not necessary to subject the formulations to shear, or to elongated stresses, to cause the polymer to spread into more space or volume. In fact, stretching out via reptation need not increase the apparent non- Newtonian viscosity, as does stretching via mechanically forced elongation. Also, since reptation is tube-like motion, and the diameter of a polyisobutylene molecule is very small (on the order of 5 x 10 ⁇ 8 cm) , the molecule can cover significant distances in even the most confined spaces. Much larger confined spaces exist within journal bearings, pistons and cylinders, between the mating surfaces of nuts and bolts, and even between the monofilaments of the threads of textiles.
• polymer spreading via reptation also occurs in an unconfined layer, such as a protective film applied to rubber, metal, glass or ceramic surfaces.
• a molecule which reptates down to a low glass transition temperature of -80°C, specifically polyisobutylene, is especially valuable in formulations for coating and protecting slowly and/or intermittently sliding surfaces under extreme environmental conditions.
• neighboring reptating polymer chains will become more intertwined, over long distances, than can occur within a mixture of similar but shorter polymer chains.
• a long section of a molecule such as polyisobutylene is more likely to be cooperatively strongly attracted, via individually weak Van der Waals forces, to other reptating chains, or to solid surfaces. This is also a phenomenon favorable to coating and lubricant formulations.
• wear can be prevented even if the Newtonian viscosity decreases.
• polyethylene is optimal for rapid reptation at low temperatures.
• polyethylene which lacks bulky side groups on the polymer backbone, is not amorphous, but folded back on itself in crystallite regions. Van der Waals forces in these regions are very strong, and consequently polyethylene only becomes amorphous when heated above ambient temperatures.
• Polystyrene on the other hand, is amorphous at ambient temperatures but is frozen into a glass, i.e., is usually at a temperature below its glass transition temperature.
• polystyrene has bulky benzene side groups along the polymer backbone. Consequently, it exhibits slower reptation relative to polyisobutylene at the same solution temperature.
• Uses for lubricating/coating solutions containing ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene include:
• Penetrant for stuck nuts and bolts Lubricant for drilling or sawing metal, wood, or plexiglass;
• Lubricant for overhead door wheels and rails Lubricant for overhead door mechanisms; Lubricant for wet sanding of metal; Tapping lubricant;
• Automotive caliper slide lubricant and protectant
• Parking brake mechanism lubricant Sliding air pump lubricant and sealer;
• the above lubricants/coatings incorporating ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene are non-toxic and environmentally benign.
• Ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene can be used to improve the properties of high-strength textiles, non-woven webs, and knits.
• the high molecular weight polymer is provided in a solution which penetrates the multi-fiber threads of the textile, fabric, non-woven web, or knit.
• the tacky nature of the high molecular weight polymer assures both molecular entanglement and high strength adhesive coupling, of a noncovalent or nonionic nature, between the elastic coating and the coated fibers.
• the elastic matrix is continuous along the length of the thread, with the fibers imbedded in it, and the thread coated by it. The latter coating overlaps the other threads in the textile, and greatly restricts sliding induced by penetration of a sharp, wedge-like object.
• This composition strengthening effect is the mirror reflection of the well-known composite strengthening brought about by mixing high strength fibers in a polymer, ceramic, metal, or elastic material to improve the said nonfibrous material.
• Single fibers of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene such as Allied Chemical's SPECTRA R can be woven to form a very tough, light weight, bullet- resistant fabric armor.
• such armor consists of about 37 layers of woven ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene strands or threads. This armor withstands bullet impact due to the very high tensile strength of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.
• sharp items such as ice picks, can easily pass through the slippery polyethylene fibers.
• ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene tends to deform under impact, which may result in blunt trauma.
• An improvement in the above-described body armor can be achieved by coating each of the several hundred polyethylene fibers with ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene. After evaporation of the solvent, the tacky and elastomeric coating causes neighboring fibers in a thread to adhere to one another, rather than slip as in the untreated textile.
• the performance of a high strength fiber is further improved by the presence of ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene in the natural void spaces between the fibers comprising a thread, and the overlap areas between contacting threads.
• the fibers Upon interception of an object possessing high kinetic energy, the fibers transmit forces to the imbedding elastomer matrix, and these forces are absorbed by the viscous component of the viscoelastic polymer, dissipated and distributed among the other fibers in the thread. Also, the thread matrix resists deformation and separation.
• Coating the polyethylene fibers with ultrahigh molecular weight polyisobutylene is carried out as follows. Powdered polyisobutylene is dissolved in a low viscosity solvent without degrading the molecular weight from a value of approximately six million daltons. The solution is settled overnight to remove insoluble substances and is then placed in a trough for treatment of the woven or non-woven ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene sheet.
• the solution solvent should be isoparaffinic and have an evaporation rate slightly greater than or less than that of water.
• One such liquid is Isopar G with a flash point of 104 °F.
• a typical concentration to maximize deposition and fiber bundle penetration is 2 percent by weight.
• the fabric is slowly drawn up from the solution trough to produce a two-sided coating which, after the solvent evaporates, shows complete penetration and open areas in the spaces between the threads. This is done in instances where the fabric is desired to remain porous to gas and liquid.
• a high concentration solution can be employed to achieve both thread impregnation and complete sealing of the fabric surface.
• the armor vest preferably consists of layers of polyisobutylene coated and uncoated SPECTRA R fabric. This assures fabric flexibility, durability, comfort, and the best possible protection from impact, penetration, and blunt trauma.
• Solvent evaporation is forced in flowing nitrogen gas vented to a cryogenic solvent recapture system from either Air Products or Liquid Carbonics.
• Solvents suitable for this process are EXXON Isopar H, G, E and C.
• Isopar E evaporates slightly faster than water, while ISOPAR G is slightly slower.
• Isopar C dries about three times faster than water, while Isopar H is about 1/4 as quick as water to evaporate.
• Isopar C would be used for very thick polyisobutylene deposits formed from 5 percent dopes. When layered, such sheets are effective against sharply pointed, penetrating objects such as ice picks and stilettos.
• the present invention uses heavy, medicinal mineral oil as a solvent for polyisobutylene (e.g. BASF's Oppanol B246) with a viscosity average molecular weight of about six million daltons.
• polyisobutylene e.g. BASF's Oppanol B246
• the combination of the ultrahigh molecular weight polymer and the high viscosity mineral oil leads to a viscous and viscoelastic matrix which is an effective vehicle for homogeneously suspending sunscreen particles.
• the thickening effect of the polymer can be used to suspend very high levels, e.g., zero to 50 percent p-aminobenzoic acid and tocopherols, carotenes, or other products which absorb or block UV.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Lubricants (AREA)
• Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)

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• 1998
  • 1998-11-24 EP EP98961792A patent/EP1064346A4/de not_active Ceased
  • 1998-11-24 AU AU17030/99A patent/AU1703099A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-11-24 WO PCT/US1998/025176 patent/WO1999027039A1/en active Application Filing

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