Witco Corporation

Ken Niece

Ronald J Muir

Theo I Eliades

Wayne A Mackwood

An engine oil contains a lubricating oil and an overbased calcium sulfonate having a dispersion of calcite-core micelles, which engine oil has commercial haze free properties, namely a Hazitron test value of less than about 30 and more particularly less than about 15 to 10, and commercial anti-wear properties, namely exhibiting a 4-Ball wear test scar diameter of less than 0.4 mm. The detergent has a TBN of from 100 to 400 and yet a viscosity of no more than 100,000 cps at 25.degree. C. and usually 20,000 to 30,000 cps at 25.degree. C. The overbased calcium sulfonate detergent provides a stable dispersion of calcite-core sulfonate micelles in the oil. The calcite overbased sulfonate is substantially free of amorphous, vaterite and aragonite forms of the calcium carbonate. The method of producing the improved calcite-core dispersion overbased calcium sulfonate provides for reacting an overbased amorphous calcium sulfonate having a TBN of about 400 or more with a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 carboxylic acid or salt, such as acetic acid or calcium acetate, a C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alkanol such as, methanol, and water, in a hydrocarbon solvent or oil, at closely controlled temperatures up to and to commensurate with the boiling point of the hydrocarbon solvent for usually about up to 11/2 hours to convert the amorphous calcium carbonate to a stable dispersion of a calcite-core micellar structure.

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West Hill, Canada

Ken Niece