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United States Patent 5,454,961
Schriver, et. al.Oct. 3, 1995

Substituted fullerenes as flow improvers

Inventors: Schriver; George W. (Somverville, NJ); Patil; Abhimanyu O. (Westfield, NJ); Martella; David J. (Princeton, NJ); Lewtas; Kenneth (Westfield, NJ).
Assignee: Exxon Research & Engineering Co. (Florham Park, NJ).
Appl. No.: 229,499
Filed: Apr. 19, 1994
Intl. Cl.:C10M 127/00
U.S. Cl.:252/ 9; 585/ 14; 252/ 45; 252/ 50; 252/ 52.R
Field of Search:252/9, 45, 50, 52 R; 585/14

References Cited

U.S. Patent Documents
3,961,916Jun., 1976Illuychyj et al.
4,211,534Jun., 1980Feldman
4,491,455Jan., 1985Ishizaki et al.
5,114,477May, 1992Mort et al.
5,177,248Jan., 1993Chiang et al.
5,234,474Aug., 1993Whewell
5,234,475Aug., 1993Malhotra et al.
5,258,048Nov., 1993Whewell
5,270,394Dec., 1993Hoxmeier
5,281,653Jan., 1994Thomann et al.
5,292,444Mar., 1994Patil et al.
5,292,813Mar., 1994Patil et al.

Other References

Primary Examiner: Howard; Jacqueline V.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Scourzo; Linda M.

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel compositions that contain a base oil and certain substituted fullerenes effective to improve the cold flow properties of the base oil. Typically the substituted fullerenes have the general formula:

In the formula C(Fn) is a fullerene or mixture of fullerenes, n is the number of carbon atoms in the fullerene, x is an integer from 1 up to the maximum number of sites on the fullerene molecule available for adding substituent groups, G is a linking group that may be absent or present, and when present is an oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phenol, aniline, Mannich base or diazocarboxylate-derived group, y is an integer determined by the identity of G and equals 1 when G is absent or when present and selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur and diazocarboxylate-derived linking groups, and equals 1 or 2 when G is a phenol or aniline linking group, and equals 2 when G is a nitrogen linking group, and when y equals 1 R is a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl group and when y equals 2 at most one R may be hydrogen while the remainder are hydrocarbyl groups, and the R group may be the same or different, and wherein when x is greater than 1 the GR(y) may be the same or different and at most one R may be hydrogen. Preferred are substituted fullerenes that are alkylamino-substituted fullerenes. The compositions are useful as flow-improvers properties.

10 Claims, No Drawings


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