Use of a diester to improve the anti-wear properties of a lubricant composition

1. A method of improving the anti-wear properties of a lubricant composition comprising one or more anti-wear additives chosen from metal alkylthiophosphates, the method comprising adding to the lubricant composition an amount of a diester sufficient to improve the anti-wear properties of the composition,

wherein the diester is represented by the following formula (I):

R a —C(O)—O—([C(R) 2 ] n —O) s —C(O)—R b   (I),

wherein:

R represents, independently of one another, a hydrogen atom, or a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group;

s has a value of 1 or 2;

n has a value of 1, 2 or 3, wherein when s is 2, n may be identical or different from s; and

R a and R b are independently selected from saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon-containing groups having a linear chain of 2 to 11 carbon atoms;

with the provisos that:

when s and n both have a value of 2, at least one of the R groups represents a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group; and

when s has a value of 1 and n has a value of 3, at least one of the R groups bound to the carbon in the beta position of the oxygen atoms of the ester functions represents a hydrogen atom,

wherein the lubricant composition is of a grade according to the SAEJ300 classification defined by the formula (X)W(Y), wherein X represents 0 or 5; and Y represents an integer from 4 to 30,

wherein the total amount of metal alkylthiophosphates in the composition ranges from 0.01 wt. % to 6 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition,

wherein the total amount of diesters of formula (I) added to the lubricant composition ranges from 1 wt. % to 20 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition,

wherein the anti-wear properties of the lubricant composition, evaluated according to a procedure based on standard ASTM D2670, are improved compared to a composition that is otherwise identical except for not comprising a diester of formula (l′), and

wherein the lubricant composition comprises at least 50 wt. % of one or more base oils different from the diesters of formula (I).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of diesters of formula (I) added to the lubricant composition ranges from 5 wt. % to 20 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more anti-wear additives are selected from zinc dialkyldithiophosphates represented by the formula:

Zn((SP(S)(OR)(OR′)) 2 ,

wherein, R and R′ are independently selected from linear or branched alkyl groups comprising from 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition comprises a total amount of metal alkylthiophosphates ranging from 0.1 wt. % to 2 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more base oils are oils of group II, Ill, or IV of the API classification.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition further comprises one or more of friction modifying additives, extreme pressure additives, detergents, antioxidants, viscosity index improvers, pour point depressants, dispersants, antifoaming agents, thickeners, or mixtures thereof.

7. A method of improving the anti-wear properties of a lubricant composition comprising one or more anti-wear additives chosen from metal alkylthiophosphates, the method comprising adding to the lubricant composition an amount of a diester sufficient to improve the anti-wear properties of the composition,

wherein the diester is represented by the following formula (I′):

R a —C(O)—O—([C(R) n —O)—([C(R′) 2 ] m —O) s-1 —C(O)—R b   (I′),

wherein:

R and R′ are independently selected from a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group;

s has a value of 1 or 2;

n has a value of 2;

m has a value of 2; and

R a and R b are independently selected from saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, hydrocarbon-containing groups having a linear chain of 2 to 11 carbon atoms;

with the proviso that when s has a value of 2, at least one of the R or R′ groups represents a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group,

wherein the total amount of metal alkylthiophosphates in the composition ranges from 0.05 wt. % to 4 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition, and

wherein the total amount of diesters of formula (I′) added to the lubricant composition ranges from 1 wt. % to 20 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition,

wherein the anti-wear properties of the lubricant composition, evaluated according to a procedure based on standard ASTM D2670, are improved compared to a composition that is otherwise identical except for not comprising a diester of formula (r), and

wherein the lubricant composition comprises at least 50 wt. % of one or more base oils different from the diesters of formula (I).

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

s has a value of 2;

one of the R groups represents a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group and the other R group represents a hydrogen atom; and

one of the R′ groups represents a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group and the other R′ group represents a hydrogen atom.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

s has a value of 1, and

one of the R groups represents a linear or branched (C 1 -C 5 )alkyl group and the other R group represents a hydrogen atom.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the total amount of diesters of formula (I′) added to the lubricant composition ranges from 5 wt. % to 20 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more anti-wear additives are selected from zinc dialkyldithiophosphates represented by the formula:

Zn((SP(S)(OR)(OR′)) 2 ,

wherein R and R′ are independently selected from linear or branched alkyl groups comprising from 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the lubricant composition comprises a total amount of metal alkylthiophosphates ranging from 0.1 wt. % to 2 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the lubricant composition.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the one or more base oils are oils of group II, Ill, or IV of the API classification.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the lubricant composition is of a grade according to the SAEJ300 classification defined by the formula (X)W(Y), wherein X represents 0 or 5, and Y represents an integer from 4 to 30.

15. The method of claim 7 , wherein the lubricant composition further comprises one or more of friction modifying additives, extreme pressure additives, detergents, antioxidants, viscosity index improvers, pour point depressants, dispersants, antifoaming agents, thickeners, or mixtures thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the anti-wear additives comprise zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, and

the composition further comprises at least one polymethylacrylate polymer.