Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A composition of matter for providing a lubricating
regime in which adherent multimolecular layers of a heteropolar
material are absorbed onto a surface to be protected from
frictional wear, said composition of matter comprising:
a carrier for a heteropolar material; and
an amount of a heteropolar material in said carrier
effective to produce a multimolecular lubricating layer of the
heteropolar material having anti-surface wear properties on a
surface to be protected from frictional wear when said composition
is brought into contact with such surface, said heteropolar
material comprising a heteropolar compound having at least one
wholly unsaturated heterocyclic six-membered ring in which at least
one unsubstituted heteroatom moiety acts as a hydrogen acceptor and
in which said compound also comprises at least one hydrogen donor
moiety and in which said heteropolar compound has no substituent
which by itself or together with another substituent or
substituents creates such steric hinderance and/or renders the
molecule so basic or acidic so as to alter a steric geometry of the
molecule as to prevent interaction of the hydrogen donor and
acceptor moieties of one molecule of the heteropolar compound with
the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties of another molecule of the
heteropolar compound nor any substituent or substituents has the
effect of solubilizing said heteropolar compound in the selected
carrier to the extent that migration of the heteropolar compound to
the interfaces of the carrier with the carrier environment is
prevented,
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said effective amount of said heteropolar material being
heteropolar material in the composition which is available to
migrate to the interfaces of the carrier with the carrier
environment, and said effective amount being an amount of at least
0.5% by weight based on the total weight of carrier and heteropolar
material.
2. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
heteropolar compound comprises up to three condensed unsaturated
rings, one of which rings is said wholly unsaturated heterocyclic
six-membered ring.
3. A composition as claimed in claim 2, in which one of said
condensed rings is a five-membered unsaturated heterocyclic ring.
4. A composition as claimed in claim 2, in which all the
condensed rings are six-membered unsaturated rings.
5. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
carrier is a liquid.
6. A composition as claimed in claim 5, in which the liquid
is a lubricating oil.
7. A composition as claimed in claim 5, in which the liquid
comprises at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon.
8. A composition as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
heteropolar compound is present in the range of from 0.5 to 4% by
weight based on the total weight of carrier and additive.
9. A composition as claimed in claim 5, in which the carrier
is an aqueous liquid.
10. A composition as claimed in claim 5, in which the carrier
is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel for an internal combustion engine.
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11. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
carrier is a lubricating grease or grease-like material.
12. A composition as claimed in claim 11, wherein the
heteropolar compound is present in the range 3% to 10% by weight
based on the total weight of carrier and additive.
13. A composition of matter for providing a lubricating
regime in which adherent multimolecular layers of a heteropolar
material are absorbed onto a surface to be protected from
frictional wear, said composition of matter comprising:
a solid plastic material carrier for a heteropolar
material; and
an amount of a heteropolar material in said carrier
effective to produce a multimolecular lubricating layer of the
heteropolar material having anti-surface wear properties on a
surface to be protected from frictional wear when said composition
is brought into contact with such surface, said heteropolar
material comprising a heteropolar compound having at least one
wholly unsaturated heterocyclic six-membered ring in which at least
one unsubstituted heteroatom moiety acts as a hydrogen acceptor and
in which said compound also comprises at least one hydrogen donor
moiety and in which said heteropolar compound has no substituent
which by itself or together with another substituent or
substituents creates such steric hinderance and/or renders the
molecule so basic or acidic so as to alter a steric geometry of the
molecule as to prevent interaction of the hydrogen donor and
acceptor moieties of one molecule of the heteropolar compound with
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the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties of another molecule of the
heteropolar compound nor any substituent or substituents has the
effect of solubilizing said heteropolar compound in the selected
carrier to the extent that migration of the heteropolar compound to
the interfaces of the carrier with the carrier environment is
prevented.
14. A composition as claimed in claim 13, in which the solid
plastics material is a polyamide.
15. A composition as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
heteropolar compound is present in the range 10.1% to 20% base don
the total weight of carrier and additive.
16. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
heterocyclic moiety which acts as a hydrogen acceptor is an -N=
moiety.
17. A composition as claimed in claim 16, in which the
heteropolar compound contains up to four -N= moieties.
18. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
hydrogen donor moiety is an -OH group.
19. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
heteropolar compound is 8-hyadroxyquinoline.
20. A composition as claimed in claim 1, in which the
heteropolar compound is selected from 2,3-dihydroxypyridine, 4,6-
dihydroxypyrinidine, 2-pteridinol, 2-methyl 8-quinolinol, 2,4-
quinolindiol, 2,3-dihydroxyquinoxalin, 2,4-pteridinediol, 6-
purinol, 3-phenanthridinol, 2-phenanthrolinol and 2-phenazinol.
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21. A lubricated article comprising:
a solid article having a surface to be protected from 2-
body or adhesive wear; and
a lubricating regime on said surface in which an adherent
multimolecular lubricating layer of a heteropolar material having
anti-surface wear properties is absorbed onto the surface, said
heteropolar material comprising a heteropolar compound having at
least one wholly unsaturated heterocyclic six-membered ring in
which at least one unsubstituted heteroatom moiety acts as a
hydrogen acceptor and in which said compound also comprises at
least one hydrogen donor moiety and in which said heteropolar
compound has no substituent which by itself or together with
another substituent or substituents creates such steric hinderance
and/or renders the molecule so basic or acidic so as to alter a
steric geometry of the molecule as to prevent interaction of the
hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties of one molecule of the
heteropolar compound with the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties
of another molecule of the heteropolar compound nor any substituent
or substituents has the effect of solubilizing said heteropolar
compound in a selected carrier therefor to the extent that
migration of the heteropolar compound to the interfaces of the
carrier with the carrier environment is prevented,
said heteropolar material being present in an effective
amount, which effective amount is that amount which is available in
the lubricated article for migration to the surface to be protected
and is an amount of at least 0.5% by weight based on the total
weight of carrier present and heteropolar material.
22. A method for reducing 2-body or adhesive wear on a
surface which is subject to such wear by establishing on said
surface a lubricating regime in which an adherent multimolecular
layer of a heteropolar material having anti-surface wear properties
is absorbed onto the surface, said method comprising the steps of:
adding said heteropolar compound to a carrier through
which the heteropolar compound can migrate, said heteropolar
compound being present in the carrier in an amount effective to
produce said adherent layer on said surface when brought into
contact therewith, said heteropolar material comprising a
heteropolar compound having at least one unsaturated heterocyclic
six-membered ring in which at least one unsubstituted heteroatom
moiety acts as a hydrogen acceptor and in which said compound also
comprises at least one hydrogen donor moiety and in which said
heteropolar compound has no substituent which by itself or together
with another substituent or substituents creates such steric
hinderance and/or renders the molecule so basic or acidic so as to
alter the steric geometry of the molecule as to prevent interaction
of the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties of one molecule of the
heteropolar compound with the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties
of another molecule of the heteropolar compound nor any substituent
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or substituents has the effect of solubilizing said heteropolar
compound in said carrier to the extent that migration of the
heteropolar compound to the interfaces of the carrier with the
carrier environment is prevented,
said effective amount of said heteropolar material being
heteropolar material in the composition which is available to
migrate to the interfaces of the carrier with the carrier
environment, and said effective amount being an amount of at least
0.5% by weight based on the total weight of carrier and heteropolar
material; and
bringing said carrier and said heteropolar compound into
contact with at least a portion of said surface for a time
sufficient to allow said compound to migrate onto the surface and
form said layer.
23. A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said bringing
step includes causing said composition to contact said surface
continuously.
24 A method as set forth in claim 22, wherein said bringing
step includes causing said composition to contact said surface
intermittently.
25. A method of reducing 2-body or adhesive wear on
contacting surface which in relative motion are subject to adhesive
wear by applying a multimolecular lubricating layer onto at least
one of said contacting surfaces.
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26. A method as claimed in claim 25 in which the
multimolecular lubricating layer is formed in situ on at least one
of said contacting surfaces by applying a lubricating compound to
said contacting surface via a carrier.
27. A method as claimed in claim 26 in which the lubricating
compound is a heteropolar compound.
28. A method as claimed in claim 26 in which the lubricating
compound is a heteropolar compound comprising at least one wholly
unsaturated heterocyclic six-membered ring in which at least one
unsubstituted heteroatom moiety acts as a hydrogen acceptor and
said compound further comprises at least one hydrogen donor moiety.
29. A composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein said layer
has a thickness in the range of from 1x10-9m to 1x10-6m.
30. A article as claimed in claim 21, wherein said layer has
a thickness in the range of from 1x10-9m to 1x10-6m.
31. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein said layer has
a thickness in the range of from 1x10-9m to 1x10-6m.
32. A method for lubrication of contacting surfaces which are
subject to 2-body or adhesive wear comprising applying between said
surfaces a lubricating quantity of a heteropolar compound having at
least one wholly unsaturated heterocyclic six-membered ring in
which at least one unsubstituted heteroatom moiety acts as a
hydrogen acceptor and in which said compound also comprises at
least one hydrogen donor moiety and in which said heteropolar
compound has no substituent which by itself or together with
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another substituent or substituents creates such steric hinderance
and/or renders the molecule so basic or acidic so as to alter a
steric geometry of the molecule as to prevent interaction of the
hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties of one molecule of the
heteropolar compound with the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties
of another molecule of the heteropolar compound nor any substituent
or substituents has the effect of solubilizing said heteropolar
compound in the selected carrier to the extent that migration of
the heteropolar compound to the interfaces of the carrier with the
carrier environment is prevented.
33. A lubricated article comprising a surface to be protected
against 2-body or adhesive wear and a lubricating regime at said
surface providing an adherent layer of a heteropolar material for
protecting said surface against such wear.
34. A lubricated article as claimed in claim 33, in which
said lubricating layer has a thickness of 1x10-9m to about 1x10-6m.
35. A method of reducing 2-body or adhesive wear on a surface
which is subject to such wear by establishing on said surface a
lubricating regime in which an adherent multimolecular lubricating
layer of a heteropolar material is absorbed onto the surface, said
method comprising the steps of:
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adding said heteropolar compound to a carrier through
which the heteropolar compound can migrate, and bringing said
carrier and heteropolar compound into contact with a portion of
said surface to be treated for a time sufficient to allow said
heteropolar compound to migrate onto said surface and form a
protective multimolecular lubricating layer thereon.
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36. A method of reducing wear on a surface which is
subject to frictional forces which comprises forming
and maintaining on said surface a protective layer
characterised in that said protective layer is a
multi-molecular layer of a heteropolar compound
comprising at least one wholly unsaturated
heterocyclic six-membered ring in which at least one
unsubstituted heteroatom moiety acts as a hydrogen
acceptor and in which said compound also comprises at
least one hydrogen donor moiety, and in which said
heteropolar compound has no substituent which by
itself or together with another substituent or
substituents creates such steric hindrance and/or
renders the molecule so basic or acidic or so alters
the steric geometry of the molecule as to prevent
interaction of the hydrogen donor and acceptor
moieties of one molecule of the heteropolar compound
with the hydrogen donor and acceptor moieties of
another molecule of said heteropolar compound nor any
substituent which by itself or together with another
substituent or substituents has the effect of
solubilizing said heteropolar compound in a selected
carrier to the extent that migration of the
heteropolar compound to the interfaces of the carrier
with the carrier environment is prevented and in which
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the protective layer is formed on the surface to be
protected by contacting at least a portion of the said
surface with a composition comprising a carrier and
dissolved and/or dispersed therein an effective amount
of said heteropolar compound.
37. A method as claimed in claim 36, in which at
least a portion of the surface to be protected is
continuously contacted with said composition.
38. A method as claimed in claim 36, in which at
least a portion of the surface to be protected in
intermittently contacted with said composition.
39. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
characterised in that the heteropolar compound
comprises up to three condensed unsaturated rings, one
of which rings is said wholly unsaturated heterocyclic
six-membered ring.
40. A method as claimed in claim 39, characterised
in that one of said condensed rings is a five-membered
unsaturated heterocyclic ring.
41. A method as claimed in claim 39, characterised
in that all the condensed rings are six-membered
unsaturated rings.
42. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
in which the carrier is a liquid.
43. A method as claimed in claim 42, characterised
in that the liquid is a lubricating oil.
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44. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised
in that the lubricating oil comprises at least one
unsaturated hydrocarbon.
45. A method as claimed in claim 44, characterised
in that the heteropolar compound is present in the
range 1.1% to 4% by weight based on the total weight
of carrier and additive.
46. A method as claimed in claim 42, characterised
in that the carrier is an aqueous liquid.
47. A method as claimed in claim 42, characterised
in that the carrier is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel for
an internal combustion engine.
48. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
characterised in that the carrier is a lubricating
grease or grease-like material.
49. A method as claimed in claim 48,
characterised in that the heteropolar compound is
present in the range 3% to 10% by weight based on the
total weight of carrier and additive.
50. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
characterised in that the carrier is a solid plastics
material.
51. A method as claimed in claim 50,
characterised in that the solid plastics material is a
polyamide.
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52. A method as claimed in claim 51,
characterised in that the heteropolar compound is
present in the range 10.1% to 20% based on the total
weight of carrier and additive.
53. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
40, 41, 43, 44 to 47, 49, 51 and 52 characterised in that the heterocyclic
moiety which acts as a hydrogen acceptor is an -N= moiety.
54. A method as claimed in claim 53,
characterised in that the heteropolar compound
contains up to four -N= moieties.
55. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
40, 41, 43, 44 to 47, 49, 51, 52 and 54, characterised in that the hydrogen
donor moiety is an -OH group.
56. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
40, 41, 43, 44 to 47, 49, 51, 52 and 54, characterised in that the
heteropolar compound is 8-hydroxyquinoline.
57. A method as claimed in any one of claims 36 to 38,
40, 41, 43, 44 to 47, 49, 51, 52 and 54, characterised in that the heteropolar
compound is selected from 2,3-dihydroxypyridine,
4,6-dihydroxypyrinidine, 2-pteridinol, 2-methyl
8-quinolinol, 2,4-quinolindiol,
2,3-dihydroxyquinoxalin, 2,4-pteridinediol, 6-purinol,
3-phenanthridinol, 2-phenanthrolinol and 2-phenazinol.