BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] Front wheel drive vehicles employ front drive joints often referred to as constant velocity joints (CVJ) which require lubricating the joint to protect against wear, to reduce friction and vibration and to increase the life of the joint.

[0003] One type of CVJ lubricant is a grease composition comprising a purified mineral oil, as a base oil, and a lithium soap as a thickening agent.

Another type of grease used for CVJ comprise a base oil and a urea type thickener.

[0004] CVJs experience significant pressures, torques and loads in use.

Consequently, CVJ grease compositions typically contain extreme pressure additives such as molybdenum disulfide, molybdenum dithiocarbamates, sulfurized fats and oils and olefin sulfides.

[0005] A prime requirement for CVJ greases is that they be compatible with the elastomers and seals used in these joints.

[0006] To provide a CVJ grease with low friction properties additives such as ashless dithiophosphate and zinc dithiophosphate are often employed. These additives, however, are incompatible with silicone elastomers used and seals in many constant velocity joints.

[0007] One object of the present invention is to provide an improved, silicone elastomer compatible, grease, especially a low friction CVJ grease.

[0008] Other objects will become apparent upon a reading of the specifica- tion that follows.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0009] The improved grease composition of the invention is compatible with silicone elastomers and is particularly useful for CVJs. The grease composition comprises a urea grease composed of a lubricating oil and a urea thickener and an effective amount of a friction reducing additive package comprising vermiculite, molybdenum oxysulfide dithiocarbamate and potassium triborate, the additive package solids having particles sizes below about 40 microns and preferably below about 10 microns.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0010] The base oil used in the practice of the present invention may be a mineral oil or a synthetic hydrocarbon oil having a viscosity of a lubricant.

Examples of mineral oil include 60 neutral oil, 100 neutral oil, 150 neutral oil, 300 neutral oil, 500 neutral oil, bright stock naphthenic oils and blends.

Examples of synthetic oils include polyalphaolefin, polyglycol, polyolester, polyphosphoric acid ester, silicone oil, alkyldiphenyl, alkylbenzene, and dibasic acid ester. These base oils may be used alone or in the form of a mixture of two or more of them. It is particularly preferred in the practice of the present invention to use a mixture of bright stock and polyalpha-olefin oils.

[0011] The base oil will comprise a major portion of the grease composi- tion. For example the base oil typically will be in the range of about 65 to about 95 wt%, based on the total weight of the composition.

[0012] The grease composition of the present invention includes a urea thickener. Typical thickeners include diurea and triurea compounds and higher polyurea compounds.

[0013] Examples of diurea compounds include those obtained through a reaction of a monoamine with a diisocyante. Examples of diisocyanates include phenoplene diisocyante, diphenyl-diisocyanate, octadecene diisocyante and the like. Examples of monoamines include octylamine, dodicylamine, hexadecyl- amine and the like.

[0014] Among the higher polyurea compounds useful in the practice of the present invention are those obtained by the reaction of an amine with a diisocyante compound such as those mentioned above.

[0015] In the practice of the present invention it is preferred to use the urea thickener in an amount ranging from about 2.5 wt% to about 30 wt% based on the total weight of the composition.

[0016] The grease of the invention includes an effective amount of a friction reducing additive package comprising vermiculite, molybdenum oxysulfide dithiocarbamate, polyphenylene sulfide, and potassium triborate, the additive package having particle sizes below about 40 microns and preferably below aboutlO microns, and even aslow as 1 nicrorLor less.

[0017] The vermiculite component of the additive package is a powdered thermally expanded magnesium-iron aluminum silicate. [0018] The molybdenum oxysulfide dithiocarbamate of the additive package is a compound represented by the formula: wherein each of R, and R2 are independently an alkyl group of from 1 to 24 carbon atoms, an aryl group or alkylaryl group of from 6 to 16 carbon atoms and wherein x and y are numerical values greater than zero and less than 4 and the sum of x and y is 4.

[0019] The polyphenylene sulfide or poly (1,4-phenylene sulfide) used in the additive package is a thermoplastic, injection molding resin available in powdered form.

[0020] The potassium triborate used in the additive package is an amorphous inorganic solid. A commercially available suspension of the triborate in an oil has been found to be a useful component in the additive package.

[0021] Typically the weight ratio of vermiculite : molybdenum oxysulfide dithiocarbamate: polyphenylene sulfide: potassium triborate will be in the range of about 0. 5: 2: 1: 1 to about 5 : 20: 10: 10, and preferably 1: 3: 2: 2.

[0022] Also, the additive package will comprise about 0.5 to about 30 wt% of the total composition.

EXAMPLES [0023] A grease was formulated by compounding the ingredients shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Component Type Supplier Wt% Base Oil Bright stock/PAO NA 71.74 Thickener Polyruea NA 12.26 FPSV Vermiculite W. R. Grace 2.0 Molybdenum Molyvan A Oxysulfide R. T. Vanderbilt 6.0 Dithiocarbamate Oloa 9750(1) Potassium triborate chevron 4.0 <BR> <BR> <BR> Polyphenylene<BR> Ryton Type VT Phillips 66 4.0<BR> Sulfide NA-not applicable (l) Oloa 9750 is a suspension of potassium borate in an oil.

[0024] The physical properties of the grease are set forth in Table 2.

TABLE 2<BR> Physical Propeties Test Methods Test Results<BR> Penetration, 60X ASTM D-217 312 dmm<BR> Cold Penetration, 6 hours @ -40°C ASTM D-217 (modified) 165 dmm<BR> Dropping Point, °C (°F) ASTM D-2265 2550C (491°F)<BR> Oil Separation (%), 24 hours @ 100°C FTM 791C/321.3 2.0%<BR> Evaporation (%), 22 hours @ 99°C ASTM D-972 0.33%<BR> O2 Stability, 100 hours KPa drop ASTM D-942 21 KPa<BR> Copper Strip Corrosion, 1 hour @ 150°C ASTM D-4048 1B<BR> Low Temperature Torque, -40°C starting N#m ASTM D-4693 7.88 N#m<BR> Timken EP ASTM D-2509 45 lbs.<BR> <P>4 Ball EP ASTM D-2596 315 kg<BR> Corrosion Prevention ASTM D-1743 Pass<BR> 4 Ball Wear @ 75°C scar diameter, mm ASTm D-2266 0.41 mm<BR> Base Oil Viscosity<BR> @ 100°C, cSt Calculated 11.4<BR> @ 40°C, cSt Calculated 107<BR> Viscosity Index Calculated 92 [0025] The elastomer compatibility of the grease was determined by immersing elastomer samples in the grease for times and at the temperatures shown in Table 3 and thereafter measuring the change in elongation and tensile strength of the sample using an Instron tester at a load of 200 lbs. and a cross- head speed of 2 inches/minute for the Hytrel elastomer samples and 100 lbs. and 20 inches/minute for the silicon elastomer samples.

TABLE 3 Test % Change, % Change, Elastomer Conditions Elongation Tensile <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> Total Immersion<BR> Silicone -9.09 -13.17 13 days @ 150°C <BR> <BR> <BR> Total Immersion<BR> Hytrel +1.33 -11.49<BR> <BR> <BR> 10 days @ 125°C