Lithium-based thickener and grease composition including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10662389-B2
Application number	US-201816161703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

A lithium-based thickener is contained in an amount of 6 to 14 wt % based on a total weight of a grease composition. The amount of the lithium-based thickener contained in the grease composition can be reduced by about half compared to a conventional thickener, thus effectively increasing viscosity of base oil and reducing fluidity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lithium-based thickener, represented by Chemical Formula 1 below

2. A method of preparing the lithium-based thickener of claim 1 , comprising a step of reacting dihydroxystearic acid with benzoic acid.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of reacting comprises:
pretreating benzoic acid by dissolving benzoic acid at a temperature of 100° C. to 140° C. and then cooling benzoic acid to a temperature of 70° C. to 90° C.; and
reacting the pretreated benzoic acid with dihydroxystearic acid.

4. A grease composition, comprising a lithium-based thickener represented by Chemical Formula 1 below in an amount of 6 to 14 wt % based on a total weight of the grease composition.

5. The grease composition of claim 4 , further comprising 1 to 5 wt % of a polymer additive based on the total weight of the grease composition,
wherein the polymer additive includes at least one of an ethylene/propylene copolymer and an ethylene/propylene copolymer grafted with an acid anhydride.

6. The grease composition of claim 5 , wherein the polymer additive is a thickening aid that supplements a thickening capability of the lithium-based thickener.

7. The grease composition of claim 5 , comprising:
81 to 93 wt % of a base oil;
6 to 14 wt % of the lithium-based thickener; and
1 to 5 wt % of the polymer additive,
wherein the base oil is at least one of poly-alpha-olefin (PAO) oil, ester oil, silicone oil, and mineral oil.

8. The grease composition of claim 7 , comprising:
81 to 93 wt % of the base oil;
6 to 14 wt % of the lithium-based thickener;
1 to 5 wt % of the polymer additive; and
1 to 5 wt % of an antioxidant.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kim Jae Hyeon

Classifications

• C10M117/08

  having only one carboxyl group bound to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring · CPC title

• C10N2030/10

  Inhibition of oxidation, e.g. anti-oxidants · CPC title

• C10M2207/288

  containing free carboxyl groups · CPC title

• C10N2050/10

  semi-solid; greasy · CPC title

• C10M107/02

  Hydrocarbon polymers; Hydrocarbon polymers modified by oxidation · CPC title