A low viscosity oil has more than 50% by weight of 9-methyl-11,13-dioctyltricosane. A lubricating composition having this low viscosity oil as base oil and, optionally, another base oil or an additive. The low viscosity oil has a kinematic viscosity at 100 C., measured by the ASTM D445 standard, of 4 to 8 mm.sup.2.Math.s.sup.1. The low viscosity oil can be prepared using a metallocene catalyst, and the low viscosity oil as high performance lubricant can be used for lubrication in the field of motors, hydraulic fluids and gears, in particular bridges and transmissions.

A viscosity index improver containing, in diluent oil, one or more optionally functionalized linear block copolymers having at least one block derived from alkenyl arene covalently linked to at least one block derived from diene in an amount that is greater than the critical overlap concentration (c.sub.h*), in mass %, for the linear block copolymers in the diluent oil; and ester base stock and/or at least one star (or radial) polymer, the star polymer being present in an amount such that the c/c.sub.h* value of the star polymer in the concentrate falls within the range of from 0.01 to about 1.6, wherein c is the concentration in mass % of star polymer in the concentrate and c.sub.h* is the critical overlap concentration in mass % for the star polymer in the diluent oil used to form the concentrate.

A method for preventing or reducing engine knock or pre-ignition in a high compression spark ignition engine lubricated with a lubricating oil by using as the lubricating oil a formulated oil. The formulated oil has a composition that contains at least one branched hydrocarbon having at least about 25% of the carbons in the form of methyl groups, or at least one polyol ester of at least one branched mono-carboxylic acid. A lubricating engine oil having a composition that contains at least one branched hydrocarbon having at least about 25% of the carbons in the form of methyl groups, or at least one polyol ester of at least one branched mono-carboxylic acid. The lubricating engine oils are useful as passenger vehicle engine oil (PVEO) products.

A slide member having a slide surface coated with a lacquer comprising a resin. The lacquer is in turn at least partly coated with a lipophilic composition coating. The lipophilic composition coating provides a slide layer on the slide member with low friction.

Compositions having a plurality of hard particles and a plurality of lubricant nanoparticles are disclosed. Methods of making and using the compositions are also disclosed.

A low-friction coating includes: an aliphatic hydrocarbon group showing a peak in a region of 2,900 cm.sup.1 to 3000 cm.sup.1 in an infrared absorption spectrum; a carbonyl group showing a peak in a region of 1,650 cm.sup.1 to 1,800 cm.sup.1 in an infrared absorption spectrum; an aromatic component (C.sub.7H.sub.7.sup.+) showing a peak at mass 91.1 in a positive ion spectrum obtained by TOF-SIMS; and a condensed ring based component (C.sub.9H.sub.7.sup.+) showing a peak at mass 115.2 in the positive ion spectrum obtained by TOF-SIMS.

Nanoparticle compositions and greaseless coatings are disclosed, including, for example, a greaseless lubricant nanoparticle coating on drill pipe threads. The lubricant coating may be multifunctional, including, for example, anti-corrosives. The coating may be a spray, or otherwise.

A method for producing a lubricating base oil, comprising: performing a .sup.13C-NMR analysis regarding an oil to be treated and selecting the oil based on a value for dividing an integrated value of a peak for a tertiary carbon atom by an integrated value of all peaks at 0 to 50 ppm, a value for dividing an integrated value of a peak for a carbon atom constituting a main chain by the integrated value of all peaks at 0 to 50 ppm, and a value for dividing an integrated value of a peak for a branched CH.sub.3 bonded to a fifth or the following carbon atom from a terminal carbon atom in the main chain by an integrated value of all peaks at 10 to 25 ppm, and obtaining a dewaxed oil by isomerization dewaxing of the oil selected in the first step, is disclosed.

A method for producing a lubricating base oil, comprising: performing a .sup.13C-NMR analysis regarding an oil to be treated and selecting the oil based on a value for dividing an integrated value of a peak for a tertiary carbon atom by an integrated value of all peaks at 0 to 50 ppm, a value for dividing an integrated value of a peak for a carbon atom constituting a main chain by the integrated value of all peaks at 0 to 50 ppm, and a value for dividing an integrated value of a peak for a branched CH.sub.3 bonded to a fifth or the following carbon atom from a terminal carbon atom in the main chain by an integrated value of all peaks at 10 to 25 ppm, and obtaining a dewaxed oil by isomerization dewaxing of the oil selected in the first step, is disclosed.

Provided herein are isoparaffins derived from hydrocarbon terpenes such as myrcene, ocimene and farnesene, and methods for making the same. In certain variations, the isoparaffins have utility as lubricant base stocks.