Lubricants
The Challenge
Industry Application Area - Gears
The Croda chemistry portfolio boasts a high performing viscosity index improver (VII) for use in a wide range of applications. A customer approached Croda with interest in a VII, but with enhanced oxidative stability for use in their gear system.
In such a high temperature and high stress application, enhanced oxidative stability is vital. It allows the oil to resist deposit formation and uphold optimum oil viscosity, thus maintaining gear cleanliness and prolonging service intervals – offering more of a “fill for life” proposition.
The customer also required properties typical in gear oil applications including suitable compatibility with other ingredients and good shear stability. The enhancements would enable the customer to meet stringent performance targets and there were also tight time constraints surrounding getting the formulation exactly right.
Approach
A truly cross-functional approach was applied to the challenge. Our in-house synthetic chemistry expertise allowed for the development of a novel molecule. Our Applications team were then able to demonstrate dramatic improvements in oxidative stability using the Anton Paar RapidOxy 100 equipment. More than a 50% increase in oxidative stability versus an antioxidant free base oil was observed.
Result
So good was the result that a completely new product was trialled, tested and launched – Priolube 3997.
Further “no harms” applications testing showed that even low inclusion levels of Priolube 3997 gave rise to reduced deposit formation as well as improved in-use coefficients of friction.
The tailor-made solution, together with exceptional technical expertise and service allowed the customer to deliver outstanding oxidation stability to their automotive gear oil formulation. They were able to submit for industry performance tests within a very limited timeframe. One happy customer!
For more information on Priolube 3997, please click on the link below.