TLT: How did you decide to pursue a career in the lubricants industry?
Chretien: My first experience with this industry occurred during my final six-month internship at Total while pursuing my master’s degree in chemistry. During this internship, my task was to develop an additive to reduce the cold filter plugging point (CFPP) of diesel fuels. The technology I worked on involved ethylene copolymers, and it was through this project that I realized the importance of the structure-performance relationship. CFPP additives have an affinity with paraffins, which allows them to control the size and growth kinetics of paraffin crystals, enabling the fuel to flow at low temperatures. This mechanism is similar to that of pour point depressants (PPD) in lubricants. Through this project, I discovered my passion for contributing to automotive systems through chemistry and formulation.

Encouraged by my colleagues at Total, I decided to pursue a second master’s degree at IFP School, where I received extensive training in petroleum products and engines through an apprenticeship with Total in the same team. This experience deepened my knowledge in fuels and introduced me to lubrication and tribology through classes taught by industry experts. After building a solid foundation both theoretically and industrially, I joined Chevron Oronite as a team leader, where I developed packages for drivelines and industrial oils. In this role, my background proved invaluable, allowing me to contribute technically and explain mechanisms to my team effectively.

TLT: Today you work for Syensqo (a spin-off of Solvay), a chemical company. What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Chretien: As a lab manager and technical project leader at Syensqo, I have the opportunity to utilize a diverse set of skills. I manage a team of scientists, prospect for new customers, listen to their needs to initiate projects and lead these projects on a global scale.

I have weekly interactions with business managers, product stewardship, intellectual property, quality managers and customers from all over the world. It is fascinating to see the different approaches internally and externally.

There are two aspects of my job that I enjoy the most:
1. Team management. I love coaching my team and identifying how we can collectively add more value to the industry. This is a skill I have honed since the start of my career. Thanks to the diversity of my team, each challenge is unique, which keeps the work engaging. The most rewarding accomplishment is witnessing my team members take on more responsibilities, successfully lead projects to commercialization, engage in technical discussions with customers and grow into new positions. This is the most fulfilling experience in my career.
2. Product development based on customer needs and industry trends. I enjoy analyzing customer needs and industry trends to drive our innovation pipeline. This focus on innovation, especially with sustainable solutions, is a core objective.

Additionally my position has given me the opportunity to develop an activity from the ground up. In five years, I doubled the size of the team by creating three new positions and increased the lab space fivefold, thanks to strong support and investment in the lubricant segment.


Christelle Chretien and her team (from left to right): Back row: STLE member Adedamola Adedeji, STLE member Thomas Weathers, STLE Member Xin He. Front row: Ricky Lee, Stewart Stright, Christelle Chretien, Srushti Patel and Nabeel Ahmed.

TLT: You mentioned innovation through the development of sustainable solutions. Could you tell us more about it?
Chretien: Innovation and sustainability form the foundation of our operations. My team cares about more than just following environmental rules; we aim to be leaders in creating solutions that work well and are good for the planet. This means we really look into where our materials come from, how safe they are and how we make our products. We also focus on how our technologies can help reduce harm to the environment.

A way which enables us to innovate in this direction is cross-fertilization. This approach involves drawing insights, technologies and best practices from a variety of sectors—such as home and personal care, coatings and agrochemicals—and applying them to the challenges we face in the lubricant application.

For instance, two of my team’s scientists are leading projects on water-based metal treatment applications, where protecting the metal is key. Since this challenge is similar to what we face with lubricants, we were able to adapt this technology to fit lubricant needs. As a result, this not only offers better protection against corrosion but also excels in reducing wear, all without needing any hazard labels.

I’ve shared this technology at past STLE annual meetings, highlighting its versatility and its strong ability to bond to various points on a surface, which ensures it sticks well. We’re now looking into how this can be used for electric vehicles (EVs), hoping to bring its advantages to this fast-expanding area.

Through these initiatives, our goal is to push forward innovation with ecofriendly solutions that address the industry’s requirements and make a positive impact on the environment.

TLT: Talking about EVs, in your point of view, what are the challenges that lubrication engineers may face with EVs?
Chretien: In my view, there are three main technical challenges that are interconnected:
1. Strong antiwear and extreme pressure (AW/EP) performance. Achieving strong AW/EP performance without using excessive sulfur, which is incompatible with copper materials, especially at electrical connections.
2. Good compatibility. Ensuring compatibility with various materials used in EVs, particularly copper components, is crucial to prevent corrosion and degradation.
3. Performance under electrical fields. Lubricants in EVs must function effectively under electrical fields, as the electric drive units (EDUs) operate at very high speeds, three to four times higher than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

The challenge is to balance these requirements while dealing with the formation of tribofilms under these conditions. This creates multiple, interconnected layers of challenges that lubrication engineers must address.


Christelle Chretien and her team working in the lab.

TLT: What solutions do you think need to be developed?
Chretien: I believe we need to revisit and innovate technologies based on phosphorus as they are ashless and sulfur-free solutions. Phosphorus technology is diverse, including phosphate esters, amine phosphates, phosphites and phosphonates, each offering unique attributes beyond AW and EP properties. For instance, amine phosphates are effective corrosion inhibitors, while phosphites serve as secondary antioxidants. This diversity presents numerous technological avenues to explore.

Specifically, there is significant potential for developing new phosphate esters. This involves exploring various modifications both in terms of synthesis and raw materials in order to develop new structures and therefore new properties. Additionally, we need to focus on creating sustainable solutions that are hazard-free and biobased. 

New tests, specifications and architectures are under development. It’s challenging to predict how these technologies will perform under future requirements, but developing new technologies will expand our toolkit and provide more options.

TLT: How do you see the impact of the growing EV industry on the traditional lubricants industry?
Chretien: I think we are currently experiencing an exciting period of transformation in the lubricant and automotive industries. The rise of EVs is pushing us to think outside the box and relearn aspects of lubrication, particularly as we encounter electrical and magnetic fields in lubricants. I am pleased to see the lubricants industry transitioning to a more diverse background. Historically dominated by chemists, chemical engineers and mechanical engineers, the industry is now welcoming electrical and thermal engineers thanks to the arrival of EVs.

Overall, I believe the impact on the industry will be very positive, broadening our perspectives and leading us to solutions that were not considered for traditional lubricants. Midway through my career, I am excited to act as a bridge between the traditional lubricants industry and the new, innovative one. Innovations in EV lubrication will undoubtedly benefit traditional lubricants as well.

TLT: Can you share your experience in solving one challenge during your career?
Chretien: One of the biggest challenges I faced occurred six months after I started my position as a team leader at Chevron Oronite. The labor unions requested a review of job positions and grades for technicians and plant operators. This led to a conflict between my team and me regarding job positioning alignment with the global grading system. After months of listening, negotiating and understanding their concerns, we managed to rebuild our relationship. This resulted in six years of healthier and more open collaboration, allowing us to tackle new challenges effectively.

This experience equipped me with tools to professionally address future challenges, such as resolving respect issues among team members.

TLT: What is the No. 1 piece of advice you would give to a person interested in a career in the lubricants industry?
Chretien: Be an explorer. Early in my career, I focused on working with fuels in the lab, which was my comfort zone. However, I seized the opportunity to manage a team at Chevron Oronite, then moved to Solvay to develop inhibitors for monomers and provide technical support—a completely different field. I gained valuable experience in customer interaction, prospecting and intellectual property.

Later, Solvay offered me the chance to move to the U.S. to establish a lubricant additive lab and build a team from scratch. My openness and curiosity have allowed me to enjoy a diverse and fulfilling career in the lubricants industry, working with various people who make this industry so remarkable.

You can reach Christelle Chretien at christelle.chretien@syensqo.com.