Friction-reducing compound, method of producing same, and lubricant composition
A lubricant composition for improving fuel economy of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine includes a base oil and a friction-reducing compound. The friction reducing compound has the following general formula: wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms, each R 1 is an independently selected hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and n is 1.
1. A friction-reducing compound for a lubricant composition, said friction reducing compound having the following general formula:
wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms, each R 1 is an independently selected hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and n is 1.
2. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein one R 1 is CH 2 CH 2 and the other R 1 is different.
3. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein each R 1 is CH 2 CH 2 .
4. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein one R 1 is CH(R 2 )CH 2 , wherein R 2 is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and wherein the other R 1 is different.
5. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 4 wherein R 2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
6. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein each R 1 is independently CH(R 2 )CH 2 and wherein each R 2 is independently a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms.
7. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 6 wherein each R 2 is independently an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
8. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms.
9. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein R is an oleyl group.
10. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein R has zero carbon-carbon double bonds.
11. A friction-reducing compound as set forth in claim 1 wherein R has 1 carbon-carbon double bond.
12. A lubricant composition for improving fuel economy of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, said lubricant composition comprising:
a base oil; and
a friction reducing compound having the following general formula:
wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms, each R 1 is an independently selected hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and n is 1.
13. A lubricant composition as set forth in claim 12 wherein said base oil is an API Group II base oil.
14. A lubricant composition as set forth in claim 12 wherein said friction reducing compound is present in an amount of from greater than 0 and up to 2% by weight based on the total weight of said lubricant composition.
15. A lubricant composition as set forth in claim 12 wherein said friction reducing compound is present in an amount of from 0.1 to 1% by weight based on the total weight of said lubricant composition.
16. A lubricant composition as set forth in claim 12 further comprising an antioxidant.
17. A method of producing a friction-reducing compound for a lubricant composition, said method comprising the steps of:
combining bicine and an amine in a solvent to produce the friction-reducing compound having the following general formula:
and
wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 or more carbon atoms.
18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the amine is oleylamine and the step of combining bicine and oleylamine comprises combining bicine and oleylamine in a molar ratio of from 0.9:1 to 1.1:1.
19. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the amine is oleylamine and the step of combining bicine and oleylamine comprises combining bicine and oleylamine under nitrogen at a temperature of from 130 to 150° C.
20. A method as set forth in claim 17 having a conversion of at least 90%.