US 7,456,138 B2
Functional fluids containing alkylene oxide copolymers having low pulmonary toxicity
John V. Sherman, Canton, Mich. (US); Ludwig Voelkel, Limburgerhof (Germany); Marc Walter, Frankenthal (Germany); Christian Wulff, Mannheim (Germany); Michael Stoesser, Neuhofen (Germany); and Siegbert Brand, Speyer (Germany)
Assigned to BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Ludwigshafen (Germany)
Filed on May 14, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/845,353.
Prior Publication US 2005/0256014 A1, Nov. 17, 2005
Int. Cl. C10M 107/34 (2006.01); C10M 173/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 508—579  [508/513] 32 Claims
 
1. A method of reducing the inhalation toxicity of functional fluids, comprising:
incorporating into a functional fluid an effective amount of a copolymer which is obtainable by copolymerizing ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide with a monool initiator, said copolymer having a degree of unsaturation of less than about 0.01 meq/g, wherein the monool initiator is n-butanol or a polyoxyalkylene monoether thereof containing from 1 to 20 oxyalkylene units.