JP2010106255A - Grease composition for resin lubrication - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a grease composition for resin lubrication improving lubrication property between a resin and another resin, between a resin and other material such as a metal. <P>SOLUTION: The grease composition for resin lubrication is obtained by compounding an amine salt of a saturated fatty acid into a grease base including a base oil and a thickener. Particularly, the amine salt of the saturated fatty acid is preferably represented by formula (1): RCOO<SP>-</SP>R'NH<SB>3</SB><SP>+</SP>, wherein R is a 5-21C linear saturated hydrocarbon, R' is a 16-18C unsaturated hydrocarbon, with the proviso that the total content of the amine salt of the saturated fatty acid is 0.1-10 mass% based on the total amount of the grease composition. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a resin-lubricating grease composition used at a lubrication site where a resin material is used and rolling or sliding occurs.

  In recent years, the use of resin materials has become prominent in many industrial machinery parts, including the automobile industry, for many reasons such as weight reduction, cost reduction, low friction, and recycling. Many new problems have been generated and various technologies have been improved.

  For example, movable parts of automobile electric door mirrors, sliding parts of telescopic shafts of steering, various sliding parts such as rack guides of R & P steering, power transmission gears of electric power steering devices, various actuators, sliding parts inside air cylinders , Linear guides for machine tools, retainers for ball screws, retainers for various bearings, sliding parts for crane booms, resin gears for acoustic equipment such as radio cassettes, video tape recorders, CD players, printers, copiers, fax machines, etc. In a resin gear part of an OA device, a sliding part of various electric switches, and the like, there is a lubrication point where a resin and a resin or a material other than a resin such as a resin and a metal functions in a contact state.

Conventionally, in the field of lubrication, most of the components of machinery have been metal materials, so research on friction and wear between metals such as iron, aluminum, their alloys, brass, bronze, etc. has a long history, Many technologies are accumulated through deep experience and knowledge.
For example, extreme pressure agents and antiwear agents containing elements such as phosphorus and sulfur are effective for friction and wear between metals, and these additives actively form a film by causing a chemical reaction with the metal surface. It is well known that it forms functions such as reducing friction and wear and preventing seizure. Engine oil, gear oil, and high-performance industrial lubricants and greases have these technologies. Widely applied.

However, despite the short history of lubrication technology between resins or between different materials such as resin and metal, in recent years the use has expanded and diversified in response to various demands for lubricating grease. However, the current situation is that we cannot always provide satisfactory technology.
For example, when the technology using the phosphorus-based or sulfur-based additive effective for friction and wear between the metals described above is applied to the lubrication points between the resins or between the resin and the metal material, it can be obtained with the metals. However, there are many cases where the friction and wear resistance performance deteriorates and the life of the machine parts is shortened.

  In the case of resin, the chemical activity at the interface is weak compared to metal, so there is almost no reaction with organic additives such as phosphorus and sulfur on the sliding surface, and adsorption is weak. For this reason, it is considered that the effect on friction and wear is small, and therefore the friction reducing action is weak. Also, when used in an environment where the temperature rises forcibly, the active sulfur and phosphorus of these additives penetrate into the resin, causing cracks and embrittlement, or promoting friction and wear. There may be a reaction such as letting go.

  Lubrication containing a polyolefin wax having an average molecular weight of 900 to 10,000 in a grease containing a base oil and a thickener in order to improve the lubrication state between the above resins or different materials such as resin and metal. A technology has been proposed in which grease achieves low friction in the resin-lubricated part and contributes to improving the efficiency of parts having the resin-lubricated part (Patent Document 1), or a metal soap-based thickener or a composite metal soap as a thickener. Although a technology having excellent resin abrasion resistance has been disclosed by a resin grease containing a system thickener and polyurea and a compound having a layered structure (Patent Document 2), further improvement is desired. .

JP-A-9-194867 JP 2008-31416 A

  The present invention can reduce friction and provide good lubricity at a lubrication location where rolling or sliding occurs where at least one of the opposite materials is made of a resin material such as resin and resin or different materials such as resin and metal. An attempt is made to obtain a resin lubricating grease composition.

  The inventors of the present invention have previously studied and investigated the lubrication behavior of resins based on the theory of interfacial chemistry, etc., and materials that are opposed to resins, such as different materials such as resin and resin, or resin and metal. The weak electricity generated at the interface of the resin interacts with certain fatty acid amine salts added to the grease, and this additive also acts as a binder with the grease, and the interface between the resin and the material facing the resin. In addition, the present inventors have found that a lubricating film can be more reliably formed and maintained, friction is reduced and good lubricity is obtained, and the present invention has been completed.

The present invention is a grease composition for resin lubrication characterized in that a grease base material containing a base oil and a thickener contains at least one saturated fatty acid amine salt, particularly preferably the following general formula The fatty acid amine salt of (1) is included to obtain a grease composition for resin lubrication.
[Chemical Formula 1] RCOO ⁻ R′NH ₃ ⁺ (1)
(However, R is a linear saturated hydrocarbon group having 5 to 21 carbon atoms, and R ′ is an unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 16 to 18 carbon atoms.)

  The total content of the saturated fatty acid amine salt containing at least one kind described above is preferably about 0.1 to 10% by mass relative to the total amount of the grease composition.

  According to the present invention, in a lubricating part such as rolling or slipping between members, one of which is made of a resin material, friction can be further reduced and good lubricity can be obtained. As a grease composition for resin lubrication, Can be used widely.

The base oil in the present invention is generally used as a base oil for lubricating oil or a base oil for grease, and is not particularly limited. For example, mineral oil, synthetic oil, animal and vegetable oil, and These mixed oils are mentioned.
In particular, base oils belonging to Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Group 4, etc. in the API (American Petroleum Institute) base oil category can be used alone or in combination.

For Group 1 base oils, for example, paraffin obtained by applying a combination of refining means such as solvent refining, hydrorefining, and dewaxing to a lubricating oil fraction obtained by atmospheric distillation of crude oil. There are mineral oils.
For Group 2 base oils, for example, paraffinic mineral oils obtained by appropriately combining refining means such as hydrocracking and dewaxing for lubricating oil fractions obtained by atmospheric distillation of crude oil There is. Group 2 base oils refined by hydrorefining methods such as the Gulf Company method have a total sulfur content of less than 10 ppm and an aroma content of 5% or less, and can be suitably used in the present invention.

  Group 3 base oil and Group 2 plus base oil include, for example, a paraffinic mineral oil produced by advanced hydrorefining and a dewaxing process for a lubricating oil fraction obtained by atmospheric distillation of crude oil. There are base oils refined by the ISODEWAX process for converting and dewaxing the produced wax to isoparaffins, and base oils refined by the mobile WAX isomerization process, and these can also be suitably used in the present invention.

  Specific examples of synthetic oils include, for example, polyolefins, polyalkylene glycols such as polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, diesters such as di-2-ethylhexyl sebacate and di-2-ethylhexyl adipate, trimethylolpropane ester and pentaerythritol ester. Polyol esters, perfluoroalkyl ethers, silicone oils, polyphenyl ethers and the like.

  The polyolefin includes polymers of various olefins or hydrides thereof. Any olefin may be used, and examples thereof include ethylene, propylene, butene, and α-olefins having 5 or more carbon atoms. In the production of polyolefin, one of the above olefins may be used alone, or two or more may be used in combination. Particularly preferred are polyolefins called poly α-olefins (PAO), which are Group 4 base oils.

  GTL (Gas Liquid) synthesized by the Fischer-Tropsch method, which is a natural gas liquid fuel technology, has an extremely low sulfur content and aromatic content compared to mineral oil base oil refined from crude oil. Is extremely high, so that it has excellent oxidation stability and very low evaporation loss, and can be suitably used as the base oil of the present invention.

Representative examples of animal and vegetable oils include castor oil and rapeseed oil.
The various oils described above can be used alone or in combination as a base oil, but the above are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereby.

  The thickener added to the base oil includes all the thickeners used as lubricating grease, and is not particularly limited. For example, lithium soap, calcium soap, sodium soap, Barium soap, barium complex soap, calcium complex soap, aluminum complex soap, lithium complex soap, benton, clay, silica, tribasic calcium phosphate, calcium sulfonate complex, urea, sodium terephthalate, etc. It can be used alone or in combination.

The fatty acid amine salt added to the grease base material containing the base oil and the thickener described above is a combination of a primary amine and a fatty acid, and a combination of the type of fatty acid and the type of amine. By changing it, various types of fatty acid amine salts can be easily produced, and are often used mainly as surfactants and rust inhibitors in the industrial field.
Among the fatty acid amine salts, the saturated fatty acid amine salt is preferable, and the saturated fatty acid amine salt represented by the following general formula (1) is particularly preferable.
[Chemical 2]
RCOO ^- R'NH ₃ ⁺ (1)
(However, R is a linear saturated hydrocarbon group having 5 to 21 carbon atoms, and R ′ is an unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 16 to 18 carbon atoms.)

  The primary amine that is a raw material of the fatty acid amine salt is preferably an unsaturated primary amine having 16 to 18 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include palmitoylamine, oleylamine, and linoleylamine.

  Moreover, as a fatty acid, a C6-C22 linear saturated fatty acid is preferable, for example, caproic acid, caprylic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, Linderic acid, myristic acid, tuzuic acid, fisetreic acid, milli Examples include streic acid, pentadecylic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, stearic acid, petrothelic acid, elaidic acid, tuberculostearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, and the like.

  This saturated fatty acid amine salt is strongly adsorbed on the friction surface between the resin and a material other than the resin, and has an extremely large effect of reducing the friction force between the materials.

  The total content of one or more of the above saturated fatty acid amine salts may be added in a range of about 0.1 to 10%, preferably about 1 to 5% by mass, based on the total amount of the grease composition. It is good to use in. If the amount is less than 0.1% by mass, the electrochemical action on the interface is too small and the effect of reducing the friction coefficient is low. Further, when the saturated fatty acid amine salt is more than 10% by mass, it becomes difficult to effectively exhibit the original performance of the grease composition (for example, viscoelasticity, shear stability, heat resistance, etc.), and it is stable over the long term. It is difficult to maintain the state and the cost is increased.

Further, the grease composition of the present invention may further contain other additives such as an antioxidant, a rust inhibitor, an oily agent, an extreme pressure agent, an antiwear agent, a solid lubricant, a metal deactivator, and a polymer as appropriate. Can be added.
Examples of the antioxidant include 2,6-di-tbutyl-4-methylphenol, 2,6-di-tbutylparacresol, P, P′-dioctyldiphenylamine, N-phenyl-α-naphthylamine, and phenothiazine. and so on.
Examples of the rust inhibitor include oxidized paraffin, carboxylic acid metal salt, sulfonic acid metal salt, carboxylic acid ester, sulfonic acid ester, salicylic acid ester, succinic acid ester, sorbitan ester, and various amine salts.

  Examples of oily agents, extreme pressure agents, and antiwear agents include zinc sulfide dialkyldithiophosphate, zinc sulfide diallyldithiophosphate, zinc sulfide dialkyldithiocarbamate, zinc sulfide diallyldithiocarbamate, sulfurized dialkyldithiophosphate molybdenum, sulfide diallyldithiophosphate molybdenum. , Sulfurized dialkyldithiocarbamate molybdate, diallyldithiocarbamate molybdate, organic molybdate complex, sulfurized olefin, triphenyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphorothioate, tricresyl phosphate, other phosphate esters, sulfurized oils and fats, etc. .

Examples of the solid lubricant include molybdenum disulfide, graphite, boron nitride, melamine cyanurate, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), tungsten disulfide, mica, and graphite fluoride.
Examples of metal deactivators include N, N'disalicylidene-1,2-diaminopropane, benzotriazole, benzimidazole, benzothiazole, thiadiazole and the like.
Examples of the polymer include polybutene, polyisobutene, polyisobutylene, polyisoprene, and polymethacrylate.
In addition, all the above-mentioned other additives are examples, and are not limited thereto.

  In the present invention, in the lubricating part where one of the opposing members is made of a resin material and rolling or sliding is observed, friction can be reduced and good lubricity can be obtained. It is necessary that one member be a resin, but the member facing the resin is not only resin but also various metal materials such as iron, copper, aluminum and other metals, and alloys thereof, and rubber. Nonpolar materials such as glass, ceramic, etc. may be used and are not particularly limited.

  In addition, the resin material can be used for various materials regardless of general-purpose plastics and engineering plastics. For example, polyamide, polyacetal, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polybutylene naphthalate, polyphenylene ether , Polyphenylene sulfide, fluorine resin, polyarylate, polyamide imide, polyether imide, polyether ether ketone, polysulfone, polyether sulfone, polyimide, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, phenol resin, AS resin, ABS resin, AES resin, AAS Resin, ACS resin, MBS resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, epoxy resin, diallyl phthalate resin, polyester resin, methacrylic resin Fat, can be mentioned ABS / polycarbonate alloys such as, but not limited thereto.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example and a comparative example demonstrate this invention further in detail, this invention is not limited at all by these Examples.
In preparing Examples and Comparative Examples, the following materials were prepared.
1. Base oil A: mineral oil having a kinematic viscosity at 40 ° C. of 101.1 mm ² / s.
2. Base oil B: a poly α-olefin oil having a kinematic viscosity at 40 ° C. of 31.2 mm ² / s.
3. Base oil C: highly refined oil having a kinematic viscosity at 40 ° C. of 47.08 mm ² / s, a viscosity index of 146,% CA of 1 or less,% CN of 11.9 and% CP of 85 or more.
4). Thickener A: Diurea obtained by a synthesis reaction of 2 moles of octylamine and 1 mole of MDI (4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate) in the base oil.
5). Thickener B: Lithium 12 hydroxy stearate soap obtained by reaction of 12 hydroxy stearic acid with lithium hydroxide in base oil.
6). Thickener C: [Ca ₃ (PO ₄ ) ₂ ] ₃ · Ca (OH) ₂ is obtained by swelling and gelling tricalcium phosphate having a hydroxyapatite composition represented by an organic solvent.
7). Thickener D: Bentonite obtained by swelling and gelling bentonite with an organic solvent in base oil.
8). Thickener E: sodium terephthalate which is formed by reaction of methyl N-octadecyl terephthalate with sodium hydroxide in the base oil.
9. About oleylamine, which is a raw material for fatty acid amine salts, general industrial raw materials having an unsaturated component having 18 carbon atoms (oleyl component) of 75% or more and an unsaturated component having 16 carbon atoms (palmitoyl component) of 5% or more. Was used.
10. For amines and fatty acids other than oleylamine, grade 1 or higher reagents were used.

In Examples 1 to 23, greases were produced using base oils and thickeners in the blending ratios shown in Tables 1 to 4, and various fatty acid amine salts were added to obtain grease compositions.
Specifically, for the grease using the thickener A (urea) of Examples 1 to 8, the base oil, the raw material of the thickener A, and the addition so that the total amount of the grease composition is 1000 g Various amines and fatty acids as agents were weighed in advance so as to have the blending ratios and molar ratios shown in Tables 1-2. After that, a part of the base oil and MDI (4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate) as a raw material for the thickener A are put into a production tank dedicated to grease with an internal capacity of 3 kg, and the temperature is raised to 60 ° C. while heating and stirring. Then, the remaining base oil was mixed with octylamine previously mixed and dissolved, reacted, heated to 180 ° C., cooled at a constant rate, and base grease composed of thickener A was obtained. Furthermore, a fatty acid amine salt obtained by dissolving and bonding the above various amines and fatty acids in a base vessel in advance in a base oil was placed in a kettle and homogenized to obtain a grease composition for resin lubrication of each example.

  About the grease composition using Thickener B (lithium soap) of Examples 9-12, it is a base oil, the raw material of Thickener B, and an additive so that the total amount of a composition may be set to 1000g. Various amines and fatty acids were weighed in advance so that the blending ratio and molar ratio shown in Table 2 were obtained. After that, a base oil, 12 hydroxystearic acid, lithium hydroxide and a small amount of water are filled in a production tank dedicated to grease with an internal volume of 3 kg, sealed, and subjected to a saponification reaction with stirring and heating. The pressure was raised to 35 MPa and dehydrated gradually. Furthermore, it heated to 215 degreeC, the content was dissolved, it cooled at a fixed speed | rate, the soap fiber was grown, and the base grease which consists of the thickener B was obtained. Next, a fatty acid amine salt obtained by dissolving and bonding the above-mentioned various amines and fatty acids in a base oil in a base oil in advance was put in a kettle and homogenized to obtain a grease composition for resin lubrication of each example.

  For the grease composition using the thickener C (tricalcium phosphate) of Examples 13 to 14, the base oil, the raw material of the thickener C, and the addition so that the total amount of the composition becomes 1000 g Various amines and fatty acids, which are agents, were weighed in advance so that the blending ratio and molar ratio shown in Table 3 were obtained. After that, base oil, tricalcium phosphate, and organic solvent for promoting gelation were put into a production tank dedicated to grease having an internal capacity of 3 kg, and the temperature was gradually raised to 150 ° C. while heating and stirring. The base grease composed of the thickener C was obtained by vaporizing and uniformly dispersing and swelling, and cooling at a constant rate. Further, a fatty acid amine salt obtained by dissolving and bonding the various amines and fatty acids in base oil in advance in a base oil was put in a kettle and homogenized to obtain a grease composition for resin lubrication of each example.

For the grease composition using Thickener D (bentonite) mixed with other thickeners of Examples 17, 18, and 21, the total of the compositions at the blending ratios shown in Tables 3 to 4 in advance. The base oil and thickener D raw materials were weighed so that the amount was 1000 g. After that, base oil, bentonite and an organic solvent for promoting gelation are put into a production tank dedicated to grease having an internal capacity of 3 kg, and the temperature is gradually raised to 150 ° C. while heating and stirring. Vaporized and uniformly dispersed and swollen, and then cooled at a constant rate to obtain a base grease composed of thickener D.
Next, base greases composed of the thickener A of Examples 17 to 18 and the thickener C of Example 21 mixed with the thickener D were separately added at the blending ratios shown in Tables 3 to 4. Manufactured in a kettle and mixed with base grease consisting of thickener D at room temperature in the proportions shown in the table. Finally, a fatty acid amine salt in which amine and fatty acid are dissolved and bonded in a base oil at the blending ratio and molar ratio described in the examples is put in the kettle and homogenized, so that the examples 17 to 18 and 21 A grease composition for resin lubrication was obtained.

  For the grease using the thickener E (sodium terephthalamate) of Example 23, the base oil, the raw material of the thickener E, and various additives are added so that the total amount of the grease composition is 1000 g. The amine and fatty acid were weighed in advance so that the blending ratio and molar ratio shown in Table 4 were obtained. Then, a portion of the base oil and methyl N-octadecyl terephthalate, the raw material of the thickener E, are put into a production tank dedicated to grease with an internal capacity of 3 Kg, and stirred in water at a temperature of 90 ° C. while stirring with heating. The dispersed sodium hydroxide suspension was gradually put into the kettle and allowed to react, and the temperature was raised to 170 ° C., followed by cooling at a constant rate to obtain a base grease composed of thickener E. Furthermore, a fatty acid amine salt obtained by dissolving and bonding the above various amines and fatty acids in a base vessel in advance in a base oil was placed in a kettle and homogenized to obtain a grease composition for resin lubrication of Examples.

  Similarly, for the grease using the thickener mixed in Examples 15, 16, 19, 20, and 22, the base grease obtained according to the above-described grease manufacturing method was used as the thickener in Examples 17, 18 and 21. The grease composition for resin lubrication of each Example was obtained according to the mixed grease.

  For Comparative Examples 1 to 18, various raw materials were weighed at the blending ratios shown in Tables 5 to 7, and various grease compositions were manufactured according to the manufacturing methods described in the above Examples.

In order to compare the properties and performance of Examples and Comparative Examples, the following measurements and tests were performed.
1. Consistency: Measured according to JIS K2220-7.
2. Dropping point: Measured according to JIS K2220-8.
3. Kinematic viscosity of base oil: Measured according to JIS K2283.
4). Friction test: A Bowden friction test was performed. That is, a friction coefficient between a material (test material 1a) other than a resin facing the resin (test material 1b) was measured using a Bowden friction test apparatus under the following test conditions.
(1) Test material 1a: Material: Steel material S45C and copper alloy ALBC2.
Dimensions: Outer 5.0mm, length 24mm, pin-shaped,
r = 2.5mm hemisphere,
The contact surface is processed into a plane having a diameter of about 1.0 mm.
(2) Test material 1b: Material: Polyamide resin (manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc., 66 nylon / amilan) and
Polyacetal resin (DuPont Delrin 500P).
Dimensions: A plate-like body having a length of 200 mm and a width of 52 mm.
(3) Temperature: 25 ° C
(4) Sliding speed: 1.0 mm / s
(5) Load: 870g
(6) Contact surface pressure: 10 MPa
In addition, between the polyamide resin and the steel material, the Bowden-type friction test was performed for all examples and all the comparative examples, and some tests were performed between the polyacetal resin and the copper alloy.

(Test results)
As shown in Tables 1-7.
(Discussion)
The grease compositions for resin lubrication of Examples 1 to 23 all show a semi-solid grease, a consistency of 270 to 305, an appropriate hardness value, and a good dropping point of 178 ° C. or higher. It was in a state. Further, the friction coefficient between polyamide resin and steel in the Bowden friction test is 0.048 to 0.065, and the friction coefficient between polyacetal resin and copper alloy is uniformly low as 0.049 to 0.062, It can be seen that good lubrication performance is exhibited in various resins and materials other than resins such as steel and copper alloys.
On the other hand, the grease compositions of Comparative Examples 1 to 18 all show a semi-solid grease, a consistency of 266 to 302, an appropriate hardness value, and a dropping point of 175 ° C. or higher. However, the coefficient of friction between polyamide resin and steel in the Bowden friction test is 0.081 to 0.127, and the coefficient of friction between polyacetal resin and copper alloy is also uniformly high as 0.088 to 0.121. In the lubrication state between various resins and materials other than resins such as copper alloy and steel, all are inferior to the examples, and it is understood that the effect of improving the lubrication performance is not obtained.
From these results, it can be seen that the grease composition for resin lubrication of the present invention exhibits good lubricating performance.

Claims (3)

  A grease composition for resin lubrication, wherein a grease base material containing a base oil and a thickener contains at least one saturated fatty acid amine salt. The grease composition for resin lubrication according to claim 1, wherein the saturated fatty acid amine salt is of the following general formula (1).
(Chemical Formula 1) RCOO ⁻ R′NH ₃ ⁺ (1)
(However, R is a linear saturated hydrocarbon group having 5 to 21 carbon atoms, and R ′ is an unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 16 to 18 carbon atoms.)   The grease composition for resin lubrication according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the total content of the at least one saturated fatty acid amine salt is 0.1 to 10% by mass with respect to the total amount of the grease composition.