Oil Additives

Combustion engines used in our cars and trucks transporting the goods we need in our daily lives run with multiples parts and under often extreme temperatures. Oil additives are vital for ensuring their proper functioning and longevity by providing adequate lubrication needed to protect the engine. ARLANXEO's range of Keltan® polymers helps to modify and regulate a key component in the equation – viscosity.

The purpose of engine oil, or motor oil, is to minimize friction by lubricating the many moving parts composing the modern combustion engine. It also serves to protect metallic surfaces from corrosion, or rust. However, optimal performance can only be achieved by adding polymeric additives. The most important of these engine oil additives are viscosity index improvers (VIIs).

Understanding the viscosity index

Essentially, viscosity refers to the thickness of the oil. What's the perfect oil thickness required to ensure that it flows freely and evenly across the engine parts and applies its protective coating where needed? If the viscosity is too high, the flow rate could be comprised, and it will stick. On the other hand, oil with insufficient viscosity will flow like water and won't adhere to the engine parts long enough to be effective.

The best oil additives offer optimal viscosity modifications. Adding to the equation, the oil's viscosity is also regulated by changes in temperature. Oils tend to become thicker under cold temperatures and lose viscosity at higher temperatures. This means that viscosity is affected not only by the combustion engine itself, but also by ambient temperature. The tendency of the viscosity of the oil to change with temperature is called its viscosity index.

One choice all year round for a variety of applications

Because our Keltan® rubber used in lubricating oils works at both high and low temperatures, our solutions can be used all year round. The extreme temperatures covered range around -30°C for a cold winter start up to 150°C for a running engine.

These multi-grade oils are widely gaining in preference over more traditional winter and summer mono-grade oils – which need to be changed depending on the season. This means that the temperature dependence of the oil viscosity is reduced.

In addition to motor oil for automotive, ARLANXEO's Keltan® additives for lubricant manufacturers provide solutions in the following sectors: heavy-duty diesel, maritime, lubricating greases, and industrial oil. Our grades allow the oil structure to adapt to temperature changes and retain its lubricating effectiveness. Specific examples are Keltan® 0500R, Keltan® 0500RS and Keltan® 1500R – viscosity index improvers used in multi-grade crankcases and industrial oils.

Without these polymeric oil additives, internal combustion engines used in automotive and industrial applications would be more readily exposed to chemical contamination, breakage, temperature stress, and corrosion.