A method of upcycling polymers to useful hydrocarbon materials. A catalyst with nanoparticles on a substrate selectively docks and cleaves longer hydrocarbon chains over shorter hydrocarbon chains. The nanoparticles exhibit an edge to facet ratio to provide for more interactions with the facets.

A number of different branched hydrocarbon compounds (formula I) having a star-like configuration (S) are prepared from renewable oils containing fatty acids or derivatives containing fatty acids. The branched hydrocarbon compounds may be isolated individually or in mixtures, and may be used as part of base oils, such as renewable base oils (RBOs). A process for preparing the branched hydrocarbon compounds of formula I involve conditions that favour a trimerisation reaction followed by hydrotreating conditions. The compounds of formula I may be made by catalytically treating renewable material in a process, and the compounds have desirable qualities relating to lubrication, cold flow as well as having a low Noack volatility.

A number of different branched hydrocarbon compounds (formula I) having a star-like configuration (S) are prepared from renewable oils containing fatty acids or derivatives containing fatty acids. The branched hydrocarbon compounds may be isolated individually or in mixtures, and may be used as part of base oils, such as renewable base oils (RBOs). A process for preparing the branched hydrocarbon compounds of formula I involve conditions that favour a trimerisation reaction followed by hydrotreating conditions. The compounds of formula I may be made by catalytically treating renewable material in a process, and the compounds have desirable qualities relating to lubrication, cold flow as well as having a low Noack volatility.

Hydrotreatment of biological oil is disclosed for producing renewable base oil and a diesel oil from low value biological oils. Low value biological oils containing free fatty acids and fatty acid esters can be processed into a renewable base oil and a renewable diesel oil in an efficient manner by first separating at least part of the free fatty acids from the feedstock and then processing separately this free acid feed in a ketonisation reaction followed by hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation reactions to yield a renewable base oil stream. The remaining free fatty acid depleted feed is processed in a separate hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation step to yield a renewable diesel stream.

Hydrotreatment of biological oil is disclosed for producing renewable base oil and a diesel oil from low value biological oils. Low value biological oils containing free fatty acids and fatty acid esters can be processed into a renewable base oil and a renewable diesel oil in an efficient manner by first separating at least part of the free fatty acids from the feedstock and then processing separately this free acid feed in a ketonisation reaction followed by hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation reactions to yield a renewable base oil stream. The remaining free fatty acid depleted feed is processed in a separate hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerisation step to yield a renewable diesel stream.

The invention is a fluid having a kinematic viscosity from 3 to 6 mm.sup.2/s, a flash point of higher than 120° C. and a pour point lower than −40° C., having a boiling point in the range of from 200° C. to 400° C. and a boiling range below 80° C., said fluid comprising more than 95% isoparaffins and less than 3% of naphthens by weight, a biocarbon content of at least 95% by weight, containing less than 100 ppm aromatics by weight. The invention is also a drilling fluid and the use of the fluid to improve the viscosity of the drilling fluid.

The invention is a fluid having a kinematic viscosity from 3 to 6 mm.sup.2/s, a flash point of higher than 120° C. and a pour point lower than −40° C., having a boiling point in the range of from 200° C. to 400° C. and a boiling range below 80° C., said fluid comprising more than 95% isoparaffins and less than 3% of naphthens by weight, a biocarbon content of at least 95% by weight, containing less than 100 ppm aromatics by weight. The invention is also a drilling fluid and the use of the fluid to improve the viscosity of the drilling fluid.

The present invention relates to biocatalysts catalyzing the formation of α-olefins. In particular, the invention provides polypeptides with improved decarboxylase activity on C.sub.10-C.sub.16 free fatty acids, more particularly on C.sub.10 or C.sub.12 free fatty acids, as compared to the P450 fatty acid decarboxylase isolated from the Staphylococcus massiliensis strain S46 (Sm46). The invention further provides recombinant nucleic acids and vectors comprising the coding sequences encoding these polypeptides, genetically engineered host cells expressing said polypeptides and methods for the production of C.sub.9-C.sub.15 α-olefins, more particularly C.sub.9 or C.sub.11 α-olefins, using said polypeptides or said host cells.

The present invention relates to biocatalysts catalyzing the formation of α-olefins. In particular, the invention provides polypeptides with improved decarboxylase activity on C.sub.10-C.sub.16 free fatty acids, more particularly on C.sub.10 or C.sub.12 free fatty acids, as compared to the P450 fatty acid decarboxylase isolated from the Staphylococcus massiliensis strain S46 (Sm46). The invention further provides recombinant nucleic acids and vectors comprising the coding sequences encoding these polypeptides, genetically engineered host cells expressing said polypeptides and methods for the production of C.sub.9-C.sub.15 α-olefins, more particularly C.sub.9 or C.sub.11 α-olefins, using said polypeptides or said host cells.

The invention provides a lubricating oil composition for automatic transmissions is made such that it comprises proportionately as its main constituents: 60 to 98 mass % as low viscosity base oils being base oils belonging to Groups 2 to 4 of the API (American Petroleum Institute) base oil categories wherein the kinematic viscosity at 100° C. is 2 to 5 mm.sup.2/s (Fischer-Tropsch synthetic oil comprising at least 45 to 80 mass %); 1 to 20 mass % as high-viscosity base oils being metallocene/poly-α-olefins with a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of 100 to 600 mm.sup.2/s; and 1 to 20 mass % being a polymethacrylate with a weight-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000. The viscosity index of this composition is not less than 190, the Brookfield viscosity at −40° C. is not more than 5000 mPa.Math.s, the 100° C. kinematic viscosity is 5 to 7 mm.sup.2/s, and the rate of reduction of the 100° C. kinematic viscosity after a KRL shear stability test (60° C., 20 hr) is not more than 3%.