What are some common automotive lubricant additives?

Lubricant additives are one or more compounds added to a lubricant to give it new properties or improve existing properties. Let's learn about them together with a lubricant additive manufacturer.

Additives are mainly classified by function into antioxidants, anti-wear agents, friction improvers (also known as oiliness agents), extreme pressure additives, detergents, dispersants, foam suppressants, corrosion and rust inhibitors, pour point improvers, viscosity index improvers, etc.

Engines that use fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline, natural gas, artificial gases, liquefied petroleum gas, etc., must use lubricants (such as paraffin-based lubricants) to lubricate their moving parts. Generally, automotive lubricants are formulated according to market demand. So, what are some common automotive lubricant additives? Let's take a look.

(1) Detergent and dispersant: Adsorbs oxidation products and disperses them in the oil. It is composed of floating components that resist oxidation and corrosion, and is combined and synthesized. The purpose of adding detergents and dispersants is to remove sludge and carbon deposits from mechanical surfaces through their solubilizing, dispersing, acid neutralizing, and washing effects.

(2) Antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors: Improve the oxidation stability of oil—prevent metal oxidation, catalyze aging, slow down oil oxidation, isolate acidic substances from metal, form a protective film, and have anti-wear properties.

When using lubricating oil, it is frequently exposed to air; therefore, oxidation is inevitable. Lubricating oil oxidation is one of the important reasons for lubricating oil deterioration and increased consumption. Antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors are multi-functional lubricating oil additives.

(3) Extreme pressure anti-wear agents: React with metals at high temperatures on friction surfaces to form substances with low melting points, saving oil consumption and reducing vibration noise. Extreme pressure agents: Most are sulfides, chlorides, and phosphides, which react with metals at high temperatures to form lubricating substances, providing lubrication under harsh conditions. (4) Oiliness Agents: These are active substances with polar molecules that can form a strong adsorption film on metal surfaces, preventing direct contact between metal friction surfaces under boundary lubrication conditions.

(5) Antioxidants and Anti-gumming Agents: Used as antioxidants and anti-gumming agents in gasoline, lubricating oil, paraffin wax, etc., and as antioxidants in rubber and plastics.

(6) Thickening Agents: Also known as thickeners, these are mainly polyoxometalate compounds with high molecular weight. Thickening agents not only increase the viscosity of oils but also improve their viscosity-temperature properties.

(7) Rust Inhibitors: These are polar compounds with strong adsorption capacity for metals. They can form a tight adsorption film at the metal-oil interface to isolate moisture, humidity, and acidic substances from corrosion. Rust inhibitors also prevent oxidation and the formation of acidic oxides, thus playing a role in rust prevention.

(8) Pour Point Depressants: These lower the pour point of oils and improve their low-temperature fluidity.

(9) Antifoaming agent: Enables bubbles to quickly overflow the oil surface, lose stability, and easily break, thus shortening the bubble's existence time.

(10) Demulsifier: Has high degradation performance and water extractability for oils.

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