The present invention relates to the use of esters of octahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indene-5-methanol (TCD-M) or -dimethanol (TCD-DM) and aliphatic C2-C18 monocarboxylic acids as lubricants in low temperature applications. In addition, the present invention relates to low-temperature lubricant compositions comprising said esters.

The present invention relates to the use of esters of octahydro-4,7-methano-1H-indene-5-methanol (TCD-M) or -dimethanol (TCD-DM) and aliphatic C2-C18 monocarboxylic acids as lubricants in low temperature applications. In addition, the present invention relates to low-temperature lubricant compositions comprising said esters.

Process for preparing water-soluble polymers in powder form by polymerization of water-soluble monoethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising the successive steps: a) Spraying on the inner wall of a polymerization vessel, the lubricant composition LC1: alkyl oleate/polyoxyethylene oleyl ether phosphate/sorbitan monolaurate, b) Polymerizing in aqueous solution in the presence of polymerization initiators at least one water-soluble monounsaturated ethylenic monomer, c) Discharging the polymer gel, d) Granulating the polymer gel thus obtained in a granulator, in presence of a lubricant composition LC2: alkyl oleate/polyxoyethylene oleyl ether phosphate/sorbitan monol aurate, e) Drying the polymer gel to obtain a polymer in powder form, f) Grinding and sifting the powder.

Process for preparing water-soluble polymers in powder form by polymerization of water-soluble monoethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising the successive steps: a) Spraying on the inner wall of a polymerization vessel, the lubricant composition LC1: alkyl oleate/polyoxyethylene oleyl ether phosphate/sorbitan monolaurate, b) Polymerizing in aqueous solution in the presence of polymerization initiators at least one water-soluble monounsaturated ethylenic monomer, c) Discharging the polymer gel, d) Granulating the polymer gel thus obtained in a granulator, in presence of a lubricant composition LC2: alkyl oleate/polyxoyethylene oleyl ether phosphate/sorbitan monol aurate, e) Drying the polymer gel to obtain a polymer in powder form, f) Grinding and sifting the powder.

Disclosed is a method of producing an estolide having high structural stability, including: a) preparing a fatty acid mixture from biomass-derived oil; b) separating the fatty acid mixture into a C16 fatty acid and a C18 fatty acid; c) converting the C18 fatty acid into a C18 or C17 linear internal olefin; and d) subjecting the C18 or C17 linear internal olefin and the C16 fatty acid to an estolide reaction, thus obtaining an estolide.

The lubricating oil composition for a refrigerator according to the present invention is a lubricating oil composition for a refrigerator containing a base oil containing a low-viscosity base oil component having added thereto a polyoxyalkylene glycol compound having a kinetic viscosity at 100° C. that is higher than the low-viscosity base oil component, and the base oil has a kinetic viscosity at 100° C. of 2.4 to 25 mm.sup.2/s and a ratio (Mw/Mn) of a weight average molecular weight (Mw) and a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 1.3 to 13.

The present invention is toward a base oil or lubricant additives, methods of using the same, lubricant compositions including the same, and methods of forming the lubricant compositions. A base oil or lubricant additive has Structure I or Structure II as described herein.

A method for producing a lubricant in producing an overbased calcium sulfonate, which is converted from the vaterite form into the calcite form and, finally, a calcium sulfonate grease is produced by heating the mixture. A lubricant may comprise at least one ester composition, calcium carbonate and at least one overbased alkylbenzene sulfonate. The basicity of the mixture is limited during the preparation of the overbased calcium sulfonate to a TBN of at most 550 mg KOH/g and during the conversion of the calcium sulfonate to a TBN of at most 450 mg KOH/g. Both the calcium sulfonate and the grease containing said calcium sulfonate may be produced exclusively on an ester basis, so that the end product does not contain any mineral oil and is therefore easily and completely biodegradable.

A method for producing a lubricant in producing an overbased calcium sulfonate, which is converted from the vaterite form into the calcite form and, finally, a calcium sulfonate grease is produced by heating the mixture. A lubricant may comprise at least one ester composition, calcium carbonate and at least one overbased alkylbenzene sulfonate. The basicity of the mixture is limited during the preparation of the overbased calcium sulfonate to a TBN of at most 550 mg KOH/g and during the conversion of the calcium sulfonate to a TBN of at most 450 mg KOH/g. Both the calcium sulfonate and the grease containing said calcium sulfonate may be produced exclusively on an ester basis, so that the end product does not contain any mineral oil and is therefore easily and completely biodegradable.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ester-based lubricating base oil for a fluid bearing that has a high viscosity index and excellent evaporation resistance, hydrolytic stability, and low-temperature fluidity. The present invention relates to a lubricating base oil for a fluid bearing containing a compound represented by general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 represents a linear C.sub.2-C.sub.16 alkyl group, m represents an integer of 2 to 10, and n represents an integer of 4 to 14.