Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making oligomers, including homo-oligomers and cooligomers, by the free radical polymerization of at least one monomer component B) having a greater tendency to polymerize and 0-90 wt. %, calculated on the oligomers, of a monomer component A) having a lesser tendency to polymerize, at an elevated temperature and in the presence of a polymerization initiator in a conventional polymerization vessel, by adding monomer component B) to monomer component A), or to a solution of monomer component A), or merely to a solvent, so that the mol ratio of B) to A), if A) is present, passes through values of 0 to about 0.2 during the initial phase of the polymerization and takes the value 0.

Abstract: The invention relates to polymer emulsions of poly(meth)acrylic acid esters and olefin copolymers suitable for improvement of the viscosity index, for use as oil additives.The polymer emulsion is formed of a continuous phase of poly(meth)acrylic acid esters and d-oligomers where the esters and oligomers have a bimodal molecular-weight distribution, a stabilizing agent (a graft or block polymerizate of an olefin copolymerizate and methacrylic acid esters), and a disperse phase of olefin copolymerizates distributed in the continuous phase.

Abstract: Synthetic oils comprising 5-100 percent by weight of an oligomer ofA) 0-75 wt. % of at least one 1-alkene,B) 20-100 wt. % of at least one (meth)acrylic acid ester of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.1 is optionally branched alkyl or cycloalkyl, andC) 0-65 wt. % of a (meth)acrylic acid ester of the formula ##STR2## wherein R' is hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.2 is alkyl substituted with at least one hydroxy group or is ##STR3## wherein R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are hydrogen or methyl, R.sub.5 is hydrogen or optionally branched alkyl, but if n is 1, then R.sub.5 is exclusively optionally branched alkyl.