WO2009126813A1

WO2009126813A1 - Bearing grease composition

Info

Publication number: WO2009126813A1
Application number: PCT/US2009/040080
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent Dimartino; Timothy J. Hagan
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corp
Priority date: 2008-04-09
Filing date: 2009-04-09
Publication date: 2009-10-15
Anticipated expiration: 2010-10-09
Also published as: BRPI0911066A2; EP2285941A4; CN104728269A; US9657776B2; TWI404796B; PL2274525T3; TWI417465B; WO2009126807A2; CA2721078C; MX2010010492A; CN101978184A; CA2888835A1; CA2721081A1; US8496381B2; MX338547B; CN101978184B; WO2009126807A3; CN101990568A; CN104728269B; EP2274525B1

Abstract

A grease for use in fluid bearings can be made by combining a synthetic oil and a paraffinic wax. The grease can adhere to polymeric surfaces on bearings such as PTFE and can improve service life in high speed bearings such as those used in electric motors.

Description

BEARING GREASE COMPOSITION

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/043,529, titled "BEARINGS" filed April 9, 2008 and claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/043,554, titled "BEARING GREASE COMPOSITION" filed April 9, 2008. Both applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to grease compositions and, in particular, to grease compositions for fluid bearings.

2. Discussion of Related Art

Fluid bearings, or fluid dynamic bearings, differ from mechanical bearings in that the bearing surfaces (faces) are separated by a liquid or gas rather than by balls or other mechanical means. The fluid layer supports the inner face and keeps the inner and outer bearing faces from contacting. This hydrodynamic layer can allow one face to rotate in relation to the other while being supported by, but not in contact with, the other face. The fluid provides some resistance when the bearing is rotated and typically a lower viscosity fluid provides less resistance. However, lower viscosity fluids may flow more easily than do higher viscosity fluids, and retaining a layer of adequate thickness between the faces may be more difficult with lower viscosity fluids. Therefore, many bearings include a lubricant, such as an oil, as well as a thickener, such as a soap of a metallic salt. These compositions have been able to provide low levels of resistance to rotation as well as an adequate rate of retention in the bearing.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article. In one aspect, a high speed bearing grease composition is provided, the grease composition comprising a synthetic hydrocarbon and a wax.

In another aspect, a bearing grease is provided, the bearing grease comprising a polyalphaolefin having a D-445 viscosity of less than 150 cSt at 100⁰C and a wax. In another aspect, a bearing assembly is provided, the bearing assembly comprising a bearing comprising two opposed surfaces constructed and arranged to move independently of each other, at least one of the surfaces comprising a polymer, and a lubricant layer between the opposed surfaces, the lubricant comprising a synthetic hydrocarbon and a paraffinic wax. In another aspect, a high speed seal less hydrodynamic bearing is provided, the bearing comprising two opposed bearing surfaces, at least one of the surfaces comprising a polymer, and a lubricant positioned between the bearing surfaces wherein the bearing is capable of operating at a sliding velocity of greater than 1 m/s for a period of greater than 1000 hours.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a box graph illustrating test results;

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating temperature vs. speed for one embodiment; FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating temperature vs. load for one embodiment;

FIG. 4 provides graphical results for temperature and torque for a long term test of one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a graph illustrating the complex viscosity of one embodiment of a grease and of its individual components; FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the complex viscosity of one embodiment of a grease compared to three commercially available greases; and

FIG. 7 provides FTIR data for an embodiment and its components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In one aspect, a grease composition for use in fluid dynamic bearings is described. The bearing may be, for example, a sleeve bearing, journal bearing or bushing such as that described in copending patent application titled BEARINGS filed on even-date herewith, Attorney Docket Number O-5055, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The bearings may be high speed bearings, e.g., those operating at surface velocities of greater than 1 m/s, or exhibiting a Pressure x Velocity (PV) of greater than 1 MPa-m/s. These fluid dynamic bearings do not contain rolling elements and provide quiet, compact, inexpensive bearings that can be used in a variety of high speed applications. The bearings may be hydrodynamic, may be seal less, and may be run continuously without supplementing or circulating a lubricant. Bearing lifetime may be more than 2000, 3000 or 4000 hours without servicing. At least one of the bearing surfaces may include (be made of) a polymer such as a fluoropolymer. Under these conditions, it has been found that conventional greases are unable to provide an adequate fluid layer for service periods that are desired of these bearings in many applications. The grease compositions described herein have been shown to provide thousands of hours of continuous service in these bearings, without circulating, replacing or supplementing the grease in the bearing.

The grease may include 2 or more components that can be an oil lubricant and a wax thickener. The oil may be, for example, a hydrocarbon or a synthetic oil such as a polyalphaolefin (PAO). The thickener may be a paraffinic wax. A third component may be an oil stabilizer such as Lucas^® Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer. Lucas Oil Stabilizer is a hydrocarbon based material designed for use with internal combustion engines. The grease may be free of non-wax thickeners such as polyureas, lithium compounds, organo-clays, and silica. The oil fraction of the grease composition may form more than 50%, more than 60%, more than 70% or more than 80% of the grease composition by volume. The oil fraction may also account for less than 95%, less than 90%, less than 80% or less than 70% of the grease, by volume. In one embodiment the oil fraction accounts for 62% of the grease composition, by volume. The wax fraction may contribute by volume more than 5%, more than 10%, more than 15%, more than 20% or more than 25% to the grease composition. In one embodiment, the wax accounts for 19% of the composition, by volume. The oil stabilizer fraction may contribute, for example, 0%, more than 1%, more than 5%, more than 10% or more than 15%, by volume to the grease composition. In one embodiment, the oil stabilizer accounts for 19% of the composition, by volume.

The grease may be used in a variety of high speed bearings including those used in electric motors. One or more of the bearing surfaces can include (is made of) a polymer. The polymer may be a fluoropolymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The bearing liner may be metal, alloy or polymer and may be a composite such as a polymer layer adhered to a metallic backing. Polymeric layers on bearing surfaces may include additional components such as graphite, carbon black, carbon fiber, glass fibers, molybdenum disulfide, mica, wollastonite, bronze, copper, stainless steel, aluminum oxide, tungsten disulfide, boron nitride, calcium fluoride, aramid fibers, basalt, fibers, pigments, temperature resistant polymer powders, or aromatic polyesters, e.g., EKONOL. Surface materials may also include filled polyimides such as bronze filled polyimides. The rotating component of the bearing may be metal, alloy, polymer, or a combination thereof. The diametrical clearance gap between rotating and stationary coaxial components of a bearing may be less than 0.1 mm and may be in the range of 0.013 to 0.076 mm. The grease provides a low viscosity fluid in this clearance gap on which the moving component of the bearing, and any associated shaft, can be supported. It is believed that the grease described herein exhibits specific properties that provide for improved wetting of the polymeric surface allowing the grease to provide a sufficient fluid layer between the opposed coaxial surfaces without requiring replacement for extended periods of time, or even for the life of the bearing.

It is believed that this grease composition exhibits increased capillary action in a gap that is defined by a fluoropolymer surface and a metallic surface. This increased capillary action attracts the grease to the gap and prevents the grease from being squeezed from the gap even when in a liquid state and under load. This improved capillary action may be a result of a high degree of wettability with the fluoropolymer surface when compared to available greases. The result is a grease that can provide a low viscosity liquid layer for a fluid bearing without being forced from the bearing gap, even under high loads and at high speeds. The grease can also be formulated to exhibit exceptional oxidation resistance.

The oil fraction of the grease may be a natural or synthetic hydrocarbon. Synthetic hydrocarbons include Group V base oils (synthetic esters and polyalkylene glycols) and Group IV base oils (polyalphaolefins (PAO).) Other synthetic oils include, for example, polyol esters, silicones, polyinernalolefins, esters, neutral phosphate esters, polymer esters, polyakylene glycols, alkylated aromatics, perfluoroalkylpolyethers, polyphenyl ethers, cyclohydrocarbons, polychlorotrifluoroethylenes, silahydrocarbons, phosphazenes, dialkyl carbonates, alkylcyclopentanes, polybutenes, or chemically modified mineral oils. Non-synthetic oils include, for example, naphthenic mineral oils, and paraffinic mineral oils. Polyalphaolefins are known to those skilled in the art and are typically made by polymerizing α-olefins having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms. In certain embodiments, either 8, 9, 10, 11 or 16 carbon α-olefins may be preferred. A specific PAO may be a mixture of monomers, dimers, trimers and tetramers. The PAO in the grease may be an oligomer or mixture of oligomers that can be selected to arrive at a desired viscosity range.

In some embodiments, the oil fraction may have a kinematic viscosity at 100⁰C of 10 to 1000 cSt, 20 to 500 cSt or 50 to 150 cSt. At 40 ⁰C the kinematic viscosity may be in the range of 1 to 100 cSt, 5 to 50 cSt or 5 to 20 cSt. Complex viscosity at 100 ⁰C may be from 0.1 to 0.001 Pa-S, from 0.05 to 0.003 Pa-S, or from 0.02 to 0.005 Pa-S. The difference in the complex viscosity of the oil between 40 ⁰C and 100⁰C may be less than a factor of 20 or less than a factor of 10. In some embodiments, the difference in the complex viscosity of the oil between 40 ⁰C and 100⁰C may be greater than a factor of 5, greater than a factor of 10 or greater than a factor of 20. In these cases, the grease may have a dynamic viscosity (parallel plate) at 40 ⁰C that is 5 times, 10 times, or 15 times greater than the dynamic viscosity at 70 0C. The viscosity index (VI) may be, for example, from 10 to 1000, 50 to 500, or 100 to 300. The oil may have any appropriate density and may be in the range of 0.70 to 0.95 g/cm³ or in the range of 0.80 to 0.90 g/cm³. The molecular weight of the oil component may be, for example, between 100 and 10,000 or between 300 and 1000, or between 600 and 900. A preferred PAO has an average molecular weight of about 761 with a number average of about 610 and a polydispersity index of about 1.25.

In one set of embodiments, the oil fraction may be a commercially available group IV or group V motor oil such as Mobil 1^® 0W-40. Some of the properties of Mobil 1 0W-40 are provided below in Table 1.

Table 1

A sample of Mobil 1 OW-40 was also analyzed by mass spectroscopy. Compounds that were detected are provided below in Table 2. Any of these compounds or combinations thereof may form a grease component.

Mobil 1 OW-40 Composition

Decane

Benzene, l-ethyl-3-methyl

Benzene, 1,2,3-trimethyl

Decane, 2-methyl

Decane, 3-methyl

Undecane

Dodecane

Benzene, l-methyl-2-(l- methylethyl)

Tridecane

Naphthalene

Tetradecane

1-Hexadecene

Tetratetracontane

Pentadecane

Sulfurous acid, butyl tridecyl ester

Phenol, 2,6-bis(l,l- dime thy lethyl)

Dodecane, 2,6,11-trim ethyl

Hexadecane

Octadecane

Nonahexacontanoic acid

Heneicosane

Nonadecane

Pentacosane

Hexadecane, 7,9-dimethyl

Tricosane

Docosane

Tetracosane

Hexacosane

Eicosane

Octacosane Table 2 The thickener component of the grease can be a paraffinic wax that may have a melting point between 50 and 150 ⁰C, between 70 and 120 ⁰C, or between 90 and 110 ⁰C. The wax may include predominantly alkanes from C₁₁ to C₂8- The wax may also include an antioxidant such as BHT and may have some aromatic content such as benzene derivatives including l-ethyl-3, 5-dimethly benzene and 1,2,4-triethyl benzene. In preferred embodiments the wax may have a melting point in the range of or 25°C to 200 ⁰C, 50 ⁰C to 150 ⁰C or 75 ⁰C to 125 ⁰C. In one embodiment a low temperature ski wax such as Bakoda^® cold temperature ski wax has been shown to work well.

A sample of Bakoda cold temperature ski wax was also analyzed by mass spectroscopy. Compounds that were detected are provided below in Table 3. Any of these compounds or combinations thereof may form a grease component.

Bakoda Ski Wax Composition

Heptane, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4- methylene

3-Heptene, 2,2,4,6,6-pentamethyl

Cyclohexane, l-methyl-2-pentyl

4-Undecene, 4-methyl

Dodecane

Sulfurous acid, cyclohexamethyl tetradecyl ester

1-Hexadecene

1-Eicosene

Docosane

Tricosane

Hexacosane

Heptacosane

Octacosane

Cyclotetradecane, 1,7,11-trimethyl- 4-(l-methylethyl)

Table 3

The grease may also include an additive component such as a viscosity modifier and/or antiwear (AW) and/or extreme pressure (EP) additives. These compounds may be, for example, sulfur or phosphorus based materials. The additive may be free of metals and metallic salts and soaps. The additive may have a viscosity that is greater than that of the base oil. For instance, kinematic viscosity of the additive at 100⁰C may be greater than 50 cSt or greater than 100 cSt. The additive component may be an oil stabilizer that is hydrocarbon based and includes various alkanes from C12 to C22, C23, C26, C27 and C28. The oil stabilizer may also include cyclic compounds such as C6 and C 14 cyclic alkanes with optional pendent groups. It may include highly branched alkanes. It may also contain olefin monomers and/or alpha-olefin monomers. The molecular weight of the additive may be, for example, from 500 to 5000 and in some cases is from 500 to 2000 or from 750 to 1500. The stabilizer may also include a sulfur based antiwear additive and/or may be substantially free of metals. An example of an appropriate oil stabilizer is Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer available from Lucas Oil Products. Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer is a petroleum based stabilizer having a kinematic viscosity of 107 cSt at 100⁰C. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) has indicated a weight average molecular weight of 1270 and a number average molecular weight of 823. The polydispersity index was 1.54.

A sample of Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer was analyzed by mass spectroscopy. Compounds that were detected are provided below in Table 4. Any of these compounds or combinations thereof may form a grease component.

Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer Composition Undecane

Dodecane

Benzene, 1 -ethyl-3,5-dimethyl

Benzene, 1,2,4-triethyl

Nonanoic acid, ethyl ester

Tetradecane

Pentadecane

Hexadecane

Butylated Hydroxytoluene

Heptadecane

Eicosane

Nonadecane

Benzyl Benzoate

Heneicosane

Docosane

Tricosane

Tetracosane

Pentacosane

Hexacosane

Docosane

Octacosane

Table 4 The grease can be made by first melting the wax and then mixing in the oil fraction. Mixing can continue as the grease cools to reduce any settling of the wax. Upon cooling, a paste-like grease composition results. An oil stabilizer may be mixed into the composition before or after the oil fraction is added to the wax.

An experimental grease designated "A" was formulated using 62% by volume of Mobil 1 OW-40 synthetic oil , 19% by volume of Bakoda cold temperature ski wax and 19% by volume of Lucas Oil Stabilizer. The wax was melted and mixed with the synthetic oil and the oil stabilizer. The resulting grease was tested for oxidative stability using a modified ASTM D-5483 test procedure. To compare grease "A" to a state-of-the-art grease designed for similar applications, an electric motor bearing grease, Mobil Polyrex^® EM, was also tested. Each grease sample was placed in an aluminum dish and was transferred to a PDSC test cell. Testing proceeded under 500 psi of pure dry oxygen. The temperature was ramped from room temperature to 210⁰C at 60⁰C per minute and then held at 210⁰C. The oxidation time for each grease is provided below in Table 5.

Table 5

The results of this test indicate a much greater oxidative stability for grease A than for the commercially available Polyrex EM.

Grease "A" was evaluated further against commercially available products by performing a standard test using the Falex model "Journal Bearing" grease testing apparatus. The bearing surface tested was NORGLIDE^® PRO with EKONOL a surface that includes a layer of PTFE containing EKONOL on steel/bronze. The test was performed at a load of 3 MPa and a test speed of 2 m/s. Temperature was measured on the outer bearing surface. Testing was stopped after the temperature for a specific grease exceeded 200 ⁰C. The greases that were evaluated and the results of the test are provided in Table 6, below. FIG. 1 provides a box graph showing a comparison of the results. Each box in FIG. 1 represents the range of temperatures recorded for that specific grease.

Table 6

Results show that under identical conditions, experimental grease "A" provided better lubrication resulting in a significantly lower operating temperature than any of the commercially available products. This indicates that when used in a high speed bearing and compared to these conventional greases, grease A provides lower temperature operation, less friction, and longer bearing life.

In another experiment, grease "A" was applied to the 19.05 mm bearing (shaft diameter) described in co-pending patent application title BEARINGS, attorney docket no. O-5055, filed on even date herewith. The bearing liner was a NORGLIDE PRO material of PTFE/graphite on steel. The bearing clearance was 0.025 mm. The bearing was tested for over 1350 hours at 2000 rpm under a 1112 N load. Torque was kept constant and the temperature of the bearing was recorded over time. Bearing temperature did not exceed 58 ⁰C over the test period and after the test period the bearing liner showed no signs of wear.

A similar test was run on the same bearing with the same grease except that the speed of the bearing was increased and temperature was recorded at different bearing speeds. FIG. 2 provides results in graphical form.

Another test was run using the same bearing and grease "A" to evaluate the effect of a change in load. Bearing speed was kept constant at 2000 rpm and the load was increased from 20 Ib to 250 Ib while temperature was monitored. Results are provided in FIG. 3 and illustrate that temperature increases gradually with an increase in load and increases at a reduced rate as the load increases. Long term testing in the Falex Journal Bearing instrument is ongoing. To date, a PTFE bushing with a diametrical clearance gap of 0.0254 mm has been operated with Grease A placed in the clearance gap prior to testing. The bearing was operated at 2000 rpm under a load of 200 Ib. A grease including 50% Mobil 0W-40 and 50% Bakoda ski wax (no oil stabilizer) was formulated and tested for a period of greater than 1500 hours of continuous service using the Falex Journal Bearing instrument. A PTFE bushing was used, having a diametrical gap of 0.0254 mm. FIG. 4 provides temperature and torque results in graphical form for this test. Steady state temperature remained below 60 ⁰C and torque remained well below 1 in-lb (0.113 Nm). This indicates a low coefficient of friction under operating conditions and a reduced level of bearing wear.

FIG. 5 graphically displays the complex viscosity of one embodiment of the grease as well as the three independent components that make up the embodiment. The complex viscosity of Grease A, its 3 primary components, and three commercially available bearing greases was determined using the following technique.

A TA Instruments ARES rotational rheomoter with a parallel plate geometry was used to conduct a dynamic temperature sweep test. A pea-sized sample of the fluid or grease was deposited on the lower portion of a pair of disposable 50mm aluminum plates. Plates were used as received. The top plate was lowered until contacting the fluid and the oven was closed around the parallel plate portion of the rheometer. The temperature was raised to 40⁰C and held until system was in equilibrium, about 5 minutes. The top plate was then lowered until liquid oozed from edges of plates. An analysis program was then initiated. For the commercial greases (ST-80 HG Heat Dip, Nye lubricant Fluorocarbon Gel 880 FG, and Amsoil Semifluid 00 Synthetic EP Grease Lithium Complex) the temperature was ramped from 20 to 120⁰C at 3°C/min. For Grease A, the maximum temperature was 100⁰C with the same heating rate. The Bakoda wax was heated to 100⁰C, equilibrated and squished, and ramped to 140⁰C at 3°C/min. A frequency of 10Hz was used for all tests. The commercial greases were tested with a 0.5mm gap between the plates and a 0.5% strain based on the gap distance. The oil, wax, stabilizer, and grease "A" were tested with a 0.192 mm gap and a 100% strain based on the gap distance. Results are provided in FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 6 graphically illustrates the complex viscosity for Grease A as well as for the three commercially available greases. A comparison of Grease A to the commercial greases shows that the complex viscosity of Grease A changes significantly (decrease) from 40⁰C to 100⁰C. FIG. 7 provides copies of spectrographs obtained from Fourier Transform

Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis performed on Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer (I); Mobil 1 OW-40 synthetic oil (II); Bakoda cold temperature ski wax (III); Grease Al after being heated for 100 hours (IV); and Grease Al without being heated (V). The instrument used was a Nicolet 360 FT-IR AVATAR Infrared Spectrophotometer equipped with a single bounce ATR Thunderdome. The wavenumbers probed range from 4000 - 650cm^"1 and the spectrum collected used 64 scans.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings of the present invention is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. The indefinite articles "a" and "an," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean "at least one."

The phrase "and/or," as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the "and/or" clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified, unless clearly indicated to the contrary. All references, patents and patent applications and publications that are cited or referred to in this application are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

What is claimed is:

Claims

1. A high speed bearing grease composition comprising: a synthetic hydrocarbon; and a wax.

2. The grease composition of claim 1 wherein the synthetic hydrocarbon comprises a polyalphaolefin formed from monomers of C₆, C₇, C%, C% C₁O, C₁₁, C₁₂ and/or C₁₆ α-olephins.

3. The grease composition of claim 1 wherein the wax comprises a paraffinic wax.

4. The grease composition of claim 1 further comprising a petroleum based oil stabilizer.

5. The grease composition of claim 2 wherein the polyalphaolefin has a D-445 viscosity of less than 150 cSt at 100⁰C.

6. The grease composition of claim 2 wherein the polyalphaolefin has a D-445 viscosity of less than 100 cSt at 100⁰C.

7. The grease composition of claim 2 wherein the polyalphaolefin has a D-445 viscosity of less than 50 cSt at 100⁰C.

8. The grease composition of claim 2 wherein the polyalphaolefin has a D-445 viscosity of greater than 10 cSt at 100⁰C.

9. The grease composition of claim 4 wherein the oil stabilizer comprises an EP additive.

10. The grease composition of claim 1 wherein the grease exhibits an ASTM D5483 oxidation induction time at 210 ⁰C of greater than 5 minutes.

11. The grease composition of claim 1 wherein the grease exhibits an ASTM D5483 oxidation induction time at 210 ⁰C of greater than 30 minutes.

12. The grease composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is essentially free of metallic soaps and polyurea.

13. The bearing grease of claim 1 wherein the synthetic hydrocarbon is essentially free of polybutylene.

14. A high speed bearing comprising the grease composition of claim 1.

15. An electric motor comprising the high speed bearing of claim 14.

16. A bearing grease composition comprising: a polyalphaolefin having a D-445 viscosity of less than 150 cSt at 100⁰C; and a wax.

17. The bearing grease of claim 16 further comprising an oil stabilizer.

18. The bearing grease of claim 17 wherein the oil stabilizer comprises an EP additive.

19. The bearing grease of claim 16 wherein the wax comprises a paraffin wax having a melting point in the range of 75 to 125 ⁰C.

20. The bearing grease of claim 16 wherein the polyalphaolefin has a D-445 viscosity greater than 10 cSt at 40 ⁰C.

21. The bearing grease of claim 16 comprising from 50% to 90%, by volume, of the polyalphaolefin.

22. A bearing assembly comprising: a bearing comprising two opposed surfaces constructed and arranged to move independently of each other, at least one of the surfaces comprising a polymer; a lubricant layer between the opposed surfaces, the lubricant comprising: a synthetic hydrocarbon; and a paraffinic wax.

23. The bearing assembly of claim 22 wherein the synthetic hydrocarbon is a Group IV or Group V base oil.

24. The bearing assembly of claim 23 wherein the synthetic hydrocarbon comprises a polyalphaolefin.

25. The bearing assembly of claim 22 wherein at least one of the two surfaces comprises a fluoropolymer.

26. The bearing assembly of claim 22 wherein at least one of the two surfaces comprises a metal or metal alloy.

27. The bearing assembly of claim 22 wherein the bearing does not include rolling elements.

28. The bearing assembly of claim 22 wherein the two opposed surfaces are coaxial and are separated by a gap of less than 0.1 mm.

29. A high speed seal less hydrodynamic bearing comprising: two opposed bearing surfaces, at least one of the surfaces comprising a polymer; and a lubricant positioned between the bearing surfaces wherein the bearing is capable of operating at a sliding velocity of greater than 1 m/s for a period of greater than 1000 hours.

30. The bearing of claim 29 wherein the bearing is subjected to a bearing pressure of greater than a MPa.

31. The bearing of claim 29 wherein the polymer comprises PTFE.

32. The bearing of claim 29 wherein the temperature of the bearing does not exceed 70⁰C.