{"id":1250,"date":"2025-02-24T06:20:11","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T11:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elastomer.kuraray.com\/us\/?p=1250"},"modified":"2025-05-20T04:57:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T08:57:50","slug":"oil-additives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.elastomer.kuraray.com\/us\/blog\/oil-additives\/","title":{"rendered":"What are oil additives?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What are oil additives?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Author<\/p>

Robin Conrad<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Oil additives<\/strong> are compounds added to oils to improve their lubrication performance. They give the base oil key properties such as reduced friction, controlled viscosity, longer lifespan, improved engine efficiency, and cleaner operation. Oil additives are an essential component of modern engine oils<\/strong>, gear oils<\/strong>, and even hydraulic fluids<\/strong>\u2014without them, these products would be unable to protect and lubricate modern machinery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Types of oil additives by purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oil additives can provide many benefits when added to a base oil, including improved viscosity, longevity, lubrication, and efficiency. Most oil modifications<\/a><\/strong> include multiple oil additives to offset the negatives of the base oil and improve the quality of the product.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Oil additives are used to control four major factors: viscosity, lubricity, chemical breakdown, and contamination<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Oil additives for viscosity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To be an effective lubricant, oil must be able to flow as needed to reach all vulnerable parts. Since machines like engines may operate at a wide range of temperatures<\/strong>, from starting on cold mornings to running at high heat, the oil must retain the correct degree of viscosity in a variety of conditions. Oils accomplish this with a variety of additives according to the needs of their applications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Viscosity index improvers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Oils often include viscosity index improvers<\/a><\/strong>, complex polymers that close the gap between an oil\u2019s viscosity at high and low temperatures. Oils decrease in viscosity as temperature increases, making them thin, runny, and less effective as lubricants. These additives improve the thickening efficiency<\/strong> of a formulation as temperatures increase, allowing the product to maintain lubricating efficiency and oil pressure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Pour point depressants<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pour point depressants are added to oils with higher base viscosities that may lose their ability to flow in the cold if the temperature drops below their pour point<\/strong>. To keep the oil\u2019s flowability at lower temperatures, some formulations include pour point depressants that lower their viscosity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Viscosity requirements vary with application and temperature<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Oil additives for chemical breakdown control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These additives work to protect both the oil and the machinery from the long-term effects of chemical processes like oxidation and corrosion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Antioxidants<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Usually phenols or amines, these compounds are added to prevent the oxidation<\/strong> of the base oil, which decreases its lubricity over time and increases wear on the machinery. To slow this degradation and increase the lifespan of the oil, antioxidants (sometimes known as oxidation inhibitor additives<\/strong>) are added to limit the oxidation process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Corrosion inhibitors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These compounds protect lubricated machines that are exposed to air and may corrode over time, like engines. By forming a lasting, protective layer<\/strong> as the oil moves, corrosion inhibitors prevent oxygen from oxidizing the metal of the engine to form rust, increasing its lifespan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Good to know<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Oxidation<\/strong> occurs as the oxygen in air undergoes a chemical reaction with a substance. In oils, oxygen reacts with oil molecules to change their structure, degrading their quality over time. Antioxidants are added to oils to slow this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corrosion<\/strong> is the deterioration of a metal through electrochemical reactions with its surroundings. While oxidation is one way a metal can corrode, it may also undergo corrosion from electrochemical interactions with other gases or liquids. Oils prevent this by coating the metal, preventing contact with corroding agents.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Base oils oxidize more quickly over time without oxidation inhibitor additives<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Oil additives for lubricity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although the base oil provides the foundation for a product\u2019s lubricity, oil additives are often necessary to achieve the lubricating power that modern machinery requires. These additives further reduce friction and ensure that the oil can lubricate machinery as soon as it begins to operate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Base oils oxidize more quickly over time without oxidation inhibitor additives<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Friction modifiers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

These compounds, which include organic friction modifiers, organo-molybdenum compounds, and even dispersed nanoparticles, are added to reduce wear and tear on machinery and improve the efficiency of motors and engines. They improve the lubricity<\/strong> of the base oil, making it a more effective formulation for protection and engine efficiency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Antiwear agents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Antiwear additives include compounds like zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, zinc dithiophosphate, and tricresyl phosphate. They form a protective film<\/strong> over metal parts, keeping them from directly contacting each other, reducing wear when machinery moves before oil can spread, and improving longevity and efficiency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Antiwear agents leave lasting, protective films on parts that undergo sustained wear<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Oil additives for contaminant control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The machines that oils lubricate operate under a variety of conditions that expose them to contaminants. Oil additives neutralize those contaminants to maintain efficiency and prevent blockages. Dispersants prevent the machinery from contaminating the oil, while detergents prevent the oil from contaminating the machinery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Dispersants<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

As machinery undergoes wear over time, small metal particles and combustion byproducts contaminate the engine and its oil. These particles can be controlled through the addition of dispersants<\/strong>, which are typically surfactants. These compounds prevent blockages and maintain lubricity by keeping contaminant particles separated and suspended in the oil. In an engine, this also allows these contaminants to be effectively removed by the oil filter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Detergents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Detergent additives, which are usually magnesium sulfonates, counteract any acids that form and remove impurities in the oil to prevent engine deposits<\/strong>. These blockages put wear and tear on machinery and decrease engine performance. Detergents neutralize acids and break down these impurities to keep machinery clean as oil is added and used.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Anti-foam agents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Anti-foam agents, also known as defoamers<\/strong>, range from insoluble oils to alcohols and glycols. When air bubbles form in oil or detergents are added, a foam can form that decreases lubrication and increases corrosion. Anti-foam agents prevent this by acting at the surface of the oil to rupture any air bubbles that form.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Detergents work to prevent engine deposits like these and keep machinery clean<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Advantages of oil additives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the petroleum and synthetic oils chosen as bases for oil formulations already have desirable characteristics, none are directly usable in most practical applications. Oil modification<\/a><\/strong> through oil additives provides those necessary properties not found in base oils.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Additives provide oil formulations with several key advantages<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Additives offer the ability to control lubricity<\/strong>, the most important quality of any oil. To develop formulations with the lubricating power necessary for parts under significant, sustained wear, products use additives like friction modifiers and antiwear agents to protect machinery and increase efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The oil\u2019s viscosity<\/strong> can also be controlled with additives. This key property dictates how the oil functions across various temperatures. Additives allow the base oil\u2019s viscosity to be adjusted up or down<\/strong><\/a> as needed at room temperature, decreased at lower temperatures, and increased at higher temperatures to ensure consistent lubrication in all operating conditions. Without them, no base oil would remain consistently effective at the temperatures required by modern engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many additive compounds also improve the longevity<\/strong> of both the oil and the machinery, lowering costs. Friction modifiers and antiwear agents accomplish this by reducing wear and tear on parts through superior lubrication. Detergents, anti-foam agents, and corrosion inhibitors work to reduce frequency of oil changes by breaking down contaminants, maintaining lubrication, and preventing corrosion of machinery. Dispersants and antioxidants increase the lifespan of the oil by suspending contaminant particles and inhibiting the degradation of the base oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to their operational benefits, oil additives are also drivers of sustainability<\/strong>. By increasing the lifespan of base oils and engines, additives decrease the amount of petroleum and synthetic motor oils that need to be manufactured, reducing fossil fuel consumption, energy consumption, and pollution. Oil additives also decrease wear and tear on engines and make them more efficient, reducing air pollution and limiting the need for new vehicles and parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oil additives may also be flexible and multipurpose<\/strong>, adding several desirable qualities to a formulation at once. Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, a common additive in engine oils, functions simultaneously as an antioxidant, corrosion inhibitor, and antiwear additive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Looking for a set of viscosity index improvers for oil modification from engines to hydraulics?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Get in touch with our team using the form below to learn more about SEPTON\u2122<\/a><\/strong> and KURARAY LIQUID RUBBER<\/a><\/strong>, flexible polymers with low addition rates that improve thickening efficiency, shear stability and low temperature property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Contact us<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Disadvantages of oil additives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although additives are key to all oil formulations, they come at an increased cost<\/strong>. Cost-effective products should consider additives that are effective in lower concentrations or that accomplish more than one goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oil additives may also have incompatibilities<\/strong> with a base oil or with other additives in the oil. To develop a stable, effective product, it is always important to ensure that an additive will be chemically compatible with a base oil and any other additives in the formulation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Interim summary: Are oil additives worth it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oil additives are an essential component of any functional oil that provide crucial qualities from lubricity to longevity. Although additives increase the cost and complexity of a product, an oil formulation simply isn\u2019t effective\u2014or competitive\u2014without them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Applications: Oils to modify<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oil additives are most often discussed as components of engine oil, but they are also a critical part of a variety of machine oils. Wherever consistent lubrication and flexible physical and thermal properties are required, oil modification<\/strong><\/a> is the solution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Additives are used in many oil formulations, including engine oil, gear oil, and hydraulic fluid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Engine oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Engine oils, whether petroleum or synthetic, must be adapted to an extremely wide variety of engine types, engine fuels, operating temperatures, applications, volumes, service lifespans, and more. This flexibility is achieved through oil additives that adjust qualities ranging from viscosity and lubricity to lifespan and protecting power.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Gear oil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although an engine requires the most oil and the most frequent changes, quality lubricant is also critical to the function of gearboxes, bearings, and transmissions. In these applications where lubricant may go unchanged for long periods of time, additives for viscosity, lubricity, seal conditioning, and longevity are especially important.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Hydraulic fluid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hydraulic fluids are often based on mineral oils, which benefit from many of the same properties provided by oil additives used in engine and gear oils. Hydraulic fluids must be effective sealants, lubricants, and power transmitters. To provide these qualities, fluids based on mineral oils rely on additives that improve viscosity, corrosion and oxidation control, shear stability, low-temperature fluidity, and foaming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How to choose the right oil additives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many important considerations when selecting oil additives, but the questions below cover some of the most common factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n