What Types Of Lubricant Additives That Manufacturers Adhere

Lubricant additives are substances added to lubricating oils to improve their performance. They can be taken into three basic categories:

• Substances planned to improve the innate characteristics of the base oils (viscosity index modifiers and flow point improvers).
• Lubricant safety substances (antioxidants).
• Substances provide new properties and safeguard the metal surfaces of engines (detergents, dispersants, friction modifiers, anti-wear/Extreme Pressure (EP) additives, rust, and deterioration inhibitors).

The additives counted to improve lubricant oils comprises:

• Viscosity index modifiers: These additives help to keep the oil’s viscosity stable over a wide range of temperatures.
• Pour point improvers: These additives help to keep the oil from thickening at low temperatures.
• Antioxidants: These additives help to prevent the oil from breaking down due to oxidation.
• Detergents: These additives help to keep the engine clean by removing sludge and other contaminants.
• Dispersants: These additives help to keep the contaminants suspended in the oil so they do not settle on the engine surfaces.
• Friction modifiers: These additives help to reduce friction between moving parts.
• Anti wear additives: these oil additives assist to save the automotive engines from wear and tear even in severe conditions. 
• Rust and Corrosion inhibitors: these additives help to prevent the engines from rusting and corrosion. 

Lubricant additives play an important role in keeping engines running smoothly and efficiently. They help to protect engines from corrosion and most importantly from wear and tear. Besides that it help to clean the oil and free of contamination. 

Boost Your Lubricant Performance With Viscosity Index Modifiers

The importance of viscosity index improvers and other additives in improving the performance of lubricants is evident from demand and need for them. From improving viscosity to reducing wear, these additives play a crucial role in optimizing the properties of your lubricants.

Understanding Viscosity Index Modifiers

Viscosity, the primary physical property of a lubricant, measures its resistance to flow and intermolecular interactions. As the temperature rises, the viscosity decreases, resulting in a thinner lubricating film between moving parts. This is where viscosity index modifiers (VII) or viscosity modifiers (VM) come into play. VII additives are polymers with a variable molecular weight that fall into specific categories:

• Non-polar VIIs are long-chain polymers that do not interact with the lubricant base oil. They are used in applications where high-temperature stability is required.
• Polar VIIs are short-chain polymers that interact with the lubricant base oil. They are used in applications where low-temperature fluidity is required.
• Synergistic VIIs: These are blends of non-polar and polar VIIs. They offer the best of both worlds, providing both high-temperature stability and low-temperature fluidity.

Viscosity index modifiers are polymers that have two key characteristics:

1. They have a closely-knit structure at low temperatures, which minimizes interactions with the lubricant base.
2. They expand and extend their chains as the temperature increases, countering the viscosity decrease of the base oil.

To ensure optimum performance, producing viscosity index modifiers involves controlling the molecular weight and distribution of the polymer. These factors significantly impact two essential characteristics of the polymer: its thickening power and mechanical shear stability.

Enhancing Low-Temperature Performance with Pour Point Improvers

Pour-point depressants (PPDs) are additives that improve the low-temperature properties of lubricants. The most common types of PPDs are polymethacrylates, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and polyfumarates. The effectiveness of PPDs depends on the base oils used and their concentration. These additives improve the performance of lubricants compared to fluid bases (SN 80, SN 150). However, it is important to note that each class of PPD has its limits. Beyond a certain percentage, the pour-point effect diminishes, and the thickening effect becomes noticeable. Typically, the treatment percentage ranges from 0.1% to 1%.

Protecting Your Lubricants with Antioxidants

Oxidation is a major cause of lubricant degradation. It occurs when lubricant components react with oxygen, forming acids, increasing viscosity, and causing dirt and sludge to build up. Antioxidant additives, or oxidation inhibitors, are used to counteract these effects. These Hydraulic Oil Additives interrupt the chemical reactions that cause oxidation and break down the initial degradation products, preventing the formation of harmful substances. Typical antioxidants include alkylated aromatic amines, sterically hindered phenols, zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates, and by-products of dialkyl dithiocarbamic acid. These substances act as radical scavengers, neutralizing reactive peroxides and preventing further degradation.

Maintaining Engine Cleanliness with Detergents and Dispersants

Detergents and dispersants are essentially Cutting Oil Additives in engine oils. They keep the engine clean by preventing the formation of deposits and suspending insoluble substances. They also prevent the build-up of deposits in hot and cold areas of the engine by inhibiting aggregation and adhesion to metal surfaces. This contributes to optimal engine performance and longevity.

Optimizing Friction Coefficient with Friction Modifiers

In boundary lubrication, friction modifiers significantly impact the friction coefficient. These additives can be long amphiphilic organic molecules or metal-organic compounds, often based on molybdenum. They reduce the friction coefficient by forming an ultra-smooth film on the surfaces, ensuring smooth operation and minimizing wear.

Reducing Wear with Anti-Wear Additives

Anti-wear/EP additives reduce wear on metal surfaces in boundary lubrication conditions by forming protective layers on the surfaces under medium-to-high or extreme pressure. Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphates, molybdenum-based compounds, organic compounds, and metal detergents are commonly used anti-wear additives. While cutting oil additives focus on wear reduction, EP additives handle extreme pressure situations. Zinc dithiophosphates also exhibit effective antioxidant properties, but their usage is limited due to their phosphorus content.

Protecting Against Corrosion with Anti-Corrosives/Rust-Inhibitors

Anti-corrosive additives protect engine metal surfaces from corrosion and aggressive combustion byproducts. These additives create a physical barrier on the metal surface, preventing corrosive agents from attacking. Common anti-corrosive additives include ethoxylated alcohols, long-chain carboxylic acids, phosphoric esters, amines, imidazoline, and derivatives. It is important to note that these additives may compete with other additives, potentially impacting their effectiveness. Various anticorrosion additives are often required to address the diverse metal surfaces.

Viscosity index modifiers and various additives are critical in optimizing lubricant performance. These additives ensure the longevity and reliability of your machinery by maintaining viscosity-temperature relationships, enhancing low-temperature characteristics, and protecting against wear and corrosion. By harnessing the power of these additives, you can elevate your lubricants to surpass your competitors and meet the demanding requirements of modern machinery.