[Problem]

From the points of view of improving the fuel efficiency of automobiles and industrial machines and saving energies thereof, the present invention provides lubricants having outstanding shear stability and low-temperature viscosity characteristics.

[Solution]

A lubricant composition includes a lubricant base oil (A) having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 1 to 10 mm.sup.2/s, and an ethylene/α-olefin copolymer (B) in which (B1) the peak top molecular weight is 3,000 to 10,000, (B2) the copolymer shows no melting peak, (B3) the value B is not less than 1.1 and (B4) the kinematic viscosity at 100° C. is 140 to 500 mm.sup.2/s. The lubricant composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of not more than 20 mm.sup.2/s, a peak top of molecular weight in the range of 3,000 to 10,000, and a weight fraction of components having a molecular weight not less than 20,000 of 1 to 10% relative to all components having a molecular weight not less than the molecular weight that gives the peak top.

[Problem]

From the points of view of improving the fuel efficiency of automobiles and industrial machines and saving energies thereof, the present invention provides lubricants having outstanding shear stability and low-temperature viscosity characteristics.

[Solution]

A lubricant composition includes a lubricant base oil (A) having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 1 to 10 mm.sup.2/s, and an ethylene/α-olefin copolymer (B) in which (B1) the peak top molecular weight is 3,000 to 10,000, (B2) the copolymer shows no melting peak, (B3) the value B is not less than 1.1 and (B4) the kinematic viscosity at 100° C. is 140 to 500 mm.sup.2/s. The lubricant composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of not more than 20 mm.sup.2/s, a peak top of molecular weight in the range of 3,000 to 10,000, and a weight fraction of components having a molecular weight not less than 20,000 of 1 to 10% relative to all components having a molecular weight not less than the molecular weight that gives the peak top.

Provided are: a lubricating oil composition for transmissions having a long fatigue life and a low viscosity, which contains a base oil and an olefin copolymer and in which the mass-average molecular weight of the olefin copolymer is 5,000 or more and 30,000 or less, the hydrodynamic radius of the olefin copolymer is 1.00 nm or more and 5.00 nm or less, and the content of the olefin copolymer based on the total amount of the composition is 1.0% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less; and a production method for the composition, a lubricating method using a lubricating oil composition for transmissions, and a transmission.

Provided are: a lubricating oil composition for transmissions having a long fatigue life and a low viscosity, which contains a base oil and an olefin copolymer and in which the mass-average molecular weight of the olefin copolymer is 5,000 or more and 30,000 or less, the hydrodynamic radius of the olefin copolymer is 1.00 nm or more and 5.00 nm or less, and the content of the olefin copolymer based on the total amount of the composition is 1.0% by mass or more and 8.0% by mass or less; and a production method for the composition, a lubricating method using a lubricating oil composition for transmissions, and a transmission.

A lubricating oil composition for automobile transmissions including a lubricant base oil, and a liquid random copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin, the liquid random copolymer being produced using a specific catalyst, wherein the lubricating oil composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 4.0 to 7.5 mm.sup.2/s, and a Brookfield viscosity at −40° C. of 20,000 mPa.Math.s or less, and wherein the lubricant base oil consists of a mineral oil with a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 2 to 10 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 105 or more, and a pour point of −10° C. or lower, and/or a synthetic oil with a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 1 to 10 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 120 or more, and a pour point of −30° C. or lower.

A lubricating oil composition for automobile transmissions including a lubricant base oil, and a liquid random copolymer of ethylene and α-olefin, the liquid random copolymer being produced using a specific catalyst, wherein the lubricating oil composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 4.0 to 7.5 mm.sup.2/s, and a Brookfield viscosity at −40° C. of 20,000 mPa.Math.s or less, and wherein the lubricant base oil consists of a mineral oil with a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 2 to 10 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 105 or more, and a pour point of −10° C. or lower, and/or a synthetic oil with a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 1 to 10 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 120 or more, and a pour point of −30° C. or lower.

A lubricating oil composition for internal combustion engines, including a lubricant base oil and 3% by mass or more, but less than 40% by mass of a liquid random copolymer of ethylene and an α-olefin, the liquid random copolymer being produced using a specific catalyst, wherein the lubricating oil composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 6.9 mm.sup.2/s or more, but less than 12.5 mm.sup.2/s, and wherein the lubricant base oil consists of a mineral oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 2 to 7 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 105 or more and a pour point of −10° C. or lower, and/or a synthetic oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 1 to 7 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 120 or more and a pour point of −30° C. or lower.

A lubricating oil composition for internal combustion engines, including a lubricant base oil and 3% by mass or more, but less than 40% by mass of a liquid random copolymer of ethylene and an α-olefin, the liquid random copolymer being produced using a specific catalyst, wherein the lubricating oil composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 6.9 mm.sup.2/s or more, but less than 12.5 mm.sup.2/s, and wherein the lubricant base oil consists of a mineral oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 2 to 7 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 105 or more and a pour point of −10° C. or lower, and/or a synthetic oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 1 to 7 mm.sup.2/s, a viscosity index of 120 or more and a pour point of −30° C. or lower.

A lubricant composition that comprises a hydrocarbon base oil, a polar viscosity improver; and an esterified polyalkylene glycol: R.sup.1[O(R.sup.2O).sub.n(R.sup.3O).sub.m(C═O)R.sup.4].sub.p, wherein R.sup.1 is a linear alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl with 6 to 30 carbon atoms; R.sup.2O is an oxypropylene moiety derived from 1, 2-propylene oxide; R.sup.3O is an oxybutylene moiety derived from butylene oxide, wherein R.sup.2O and R.sup.3O are in a block or a random distribution; R.sup.4 is a linear alkyl with 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl with 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl with 6 to 18 carbon atoms; n and m are each independently integers ranging from 0 to 20 wherein n+m is greater than 0, and p is an integer from 1 to 4. The lubricant composition may have a viscosity index of at least 150, a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. from 2 to 5 centistokes and a kinematic viscosity at −20° C. of at most 600 centistokes.

A lubricant composition that comprises a hydrocarbon base oil, a polar viscosity improver; and an esterified polyalkylene glycol: R.sup.1[O(R.sup.2O).sub.n(R.sup.3O).sub.m(C═O)R.sup.4].sub.p, wherein R.sup.1 is a linear alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl having 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl with 6 to 30 carbon atoms; R.sup.2O is an oxypropylene moiety derived from 1, 2-propylene oxide; R.sup.3O is an oxybutylene moiety derived from butylene oxide, wherein R.sup.2O and R.sup.3O are in a block or a random distribution; R.sup.4 is a linear alkyl with 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl with 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl with 6 to 18 carbon atoms; n and m are each independently integers ranging from 0 to 20 wherein n+m is greater than 0, and p is an integer from 1 to 4. The lubricant composition may have a viscosity index of at least 150, a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. from 2 to 5 centistokes and a kinematic viscosity at −20° C. of at most 600 centistokes.