greasy yellow substance dripping down, lubricant additives, corrosion inhibitors, tackifiers, viscosity modifiers

Why So Many Lubricant Additives?

Friday, October 14th, 2022

Choosing the right lubricant additive package or component can be overwhelming, but the experts at Soltex are here to help. The long list of available lubricant additive packages is not just for show – each additive package was designed with a specific application in mind. At Soltex, additive products are grouped by application: engine oil, driveline, industrial, food grade and components. These types are then broken down by functionality, which are Boosters, Anti-wear Additives, EP Additives, Detergents, Dispersants, Viscosity Modifiers, Pour Point Depressants, Antioxidants, Tackifiers, and Food Grade Additives. Within these product groups, formulas designed for similar purposes are tweaked to meet specific needs and functionality. Altogether, that comes to a broad portfolio of additives packages and components.  But why is the lubricant additives product line so extensive?

 

Well, because there are many end uses for lubricant additives, such as engines, hydraulics, racing, grease, gear, compressors, rock drill oil, and transmissions. Here is a breakdown of the product groups:

 

  • Lubricant Additive Packages are Soltex’s tailored blends to formulated finished fluids for engines, driveline, and industrial applications.
  • Anti-wear additives, with ash and ashless chemistries, offer wear protection by preventing oxidation and reducing sludge.
  • Antioxidants provide longevity to a lubricant and protect from thermal and oxidative degradation.
  • Detergents additives designed to clean and neutralize acids within an engine and prevent the build-up of deposits.
  • Dispersants help to prevent sludge, varnish, and other deposits from forming on critical metal surfaces.
  • Food grade additives include corrosion inhibitors, anti-wear and EP additives, tackifiers and antioxidants for white oils, anti-wear and corrosion inhibitors for mineral oil based lubricants, and tackifiers and thickeners for white oil and vegetable oil based lubricants.
  • Pour point dispersants are used to adjust the lowest temperature at which a fuel or oil will pour when cooled under defined conditions.
  • Tackifiers increase the adhesive properties of lubricants, preventing dripping and splashing during operation which helps to reduce operational cost and the risk of environmental contamination.
  • Viscosity Modifiers, or viscosity index improvers, are polymeric and are added to lubricants to reduce the degree of change in viscosity seen at high and low temperatures.

 

Hopefully, now that the purpose for each lubricant additive has been defined, choosing the best additive package or component for your application is less intimidating.  Need a blend of lubricant additives? Contact a representative today online or over the phone to see how Soltex can put their technical resources to work for you.