Croda Lubricants
Leading the Way Naturally
By Suresh Swaminathan, Sales Development Specialist, Croda Lubricants | TLT CMF Plus November 2011
Introduction
A strong reputation for quality and innovation, coupled with a leading edge corporate commitment to renewability and sustainability, Croda’s specialty products are recognized as adding value, imparting demonstrable effects and reducing environmental impact.
Croda Lubricants solves customer’s problems with high quality products drawing solutions from unique technology platforms.
Croda products are targeted to add value in the following areas:
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Improved fuel economy
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Reduced emissions
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Extended oil drain and maintenance intervals
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Improved equipment durability
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Increase production efficiency
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Achieve sustainability objectives
Croda’s proven technology platform strengths include:
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Ester technology, including multi-functional esters (Priolube™)
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Specialty effect additives (Perfad™, Crodacor™, Crodazoline™ and Crodasinic™)
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Polymeric surfactants (Hypermer™)
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Self-emulsifying surfactants combining lubrication and emulsification into one product
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Polyalkylene glycols (Emkarox™)
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Polymerized fatty acids (Prisorine™, Pripol™)
Through our application expertise, Croda utilizes its technology platforms to tackle the lubrication needs of today and the performance and legislative targets of the future.
Improved Fuel Efficiency through Friction Modifier Technology
Croda continues to innovate in the area of friction modifiers. In 2011, Croda introduced two new organic friction modifiers,
Perfad 3000 and
Perfad 3050. Perfad 3000 and Perfad 3050 are high viscosity polymers which deliver unprecedented friction reduction in engine oils. This reduction in friction can contribute to fuel efficiency improvements and in the reduction of emissions. They form stable films under high loads and slow speeds, which results in low friction between moving parts, which in turn can lead to a reduction in wear. They do not contain sulfur, phosphorous or sulfated ash and will not contribute to after-treatment equipment contamination.
Croda continues to work on creating additives for metal working applications that improve tool life and extend the life of metalworking fluids.
Perfad 3000 and 3050 were evaluated in a reference oil consisting of 90% PAO 6 and 10% ester.
Figure 1 shows friction results from mini-traction testing at both 40°C and 150°C at 0.5% treat rate. At 40°C, Perfad polymeric friction modifiers are more effective than GMO. At 150°C, the improvement over GMO is even more drastic. These two tests show the effectiveness of Perfad 3000 and 3050 over a wide range of temperatures.
Figure 1.
The excellent friction properties for the Perfad’s are the result of the polymeric friction modifiers forming a stable film between metal surfaces. By using an ultrathin film rig, we can measure film formation over a wide range of speeds. The results in
Figure 2 show that at low speeds, the film thickness of the reference base fluid decreases and collapses. Perfad 3000 and 3050 give film thicknesses between 8-10nm.
Figure 2.
In addition, Croda offers thermally stable, monomeric friction modifiers that provide fuel economy improvements in engine oils.
Figure 3 shows the FEI performance of Perfad FM 3336 and Perfad FM 3339. In FEI testing, Perfad FM 3336 gives 2.6% fuel economy improvement at 1.5% treat rate, which is 30% more effective than glycerol monooleate. The HP DSC results show the superior stability of Perfad FM 3336 and Perfad FM 3339 compared to GMO and oleamide.
(Figure 4).
Figure 3.
Figure 4.
Optimization of Industrial Lubricants
Croda continues to work on creating additives for metal working applications that improve tool life and extend the life of metalworking fluids. Earlier in 2011, Croda launched Perfad 8100, an additive designed to improve the lubricity and performance of multi-metal stamping and drawing fluids. Perfad 8100 is a bio-based additive that al lows formulators to replace chlorinated paraffin, which continue to receive close regulatory scrutiny. In addition, Perfad 8100 is easier to wash off of parts and tools compared to chlorinated products. In twist compression testing, Perfad 8100 performed comparably to a medium-oil chlorinated paraffin both on cold-rolled steel and aluminum.
(Figure 5).
Figure 5.
Another tool for the industrial oil formulator is Croda’s revamped line of oil-soluble corrosion inhibitors featuring best in class corrosion performance at extremely low treat rates. Perfad™ 9000 passes the ASTM 665B test at an amazingly low treat rate of 0.03%.
(Figure 6) Croda’s corrosion inhibitors draw from many different technology platforms including lanolin derivatives as well as phosphate esters.
1 – New test specimen
2 – Base-oil, no corrosion inhibitor added
3 – Calcium sulfonate, 0.03%
4 – Perfad 9000, 0.03%
Figure 6.
Croda offers a wide-range of base fluids and additives for use in food-grade lubricants. In 2011, Croda received NSF HX-1 registration for eight Priolube esters of varying viscosity grades. The HX-1 designation is given to ingredients used in the formulation of H1 lubricants for food processing applications where incidental contact may occur. Crodasinic O is also available as an oil-soluble corrosion inhibitor with HX-1 approval.
Achievement of Sustainability Targets
Croda’s goal is to assist our customers in developing solutions to their most challenging formulation targets through our application expertise of incorporating sustainable materials. Croda does not believe there needs to be a tradeoff between application performance and environmental sustainability. Croda’s technology enables customers to exceed the performance levels of today’s most demanding applications while utilizing sustainable and renewable materials that will enable performance at or above these levels for years to come.