Mineral Oils - Nature’s Synthesis Paraffinic Cyclic/Aromatic Low costBig mixture Mineral Oil Mineral oil refining removes many of the least desirable components (e.g. aromatics, waxes) and modifies the rest (e.g. hyrofinishing, hydrodewaxing and/or hydroprocessing)

Base Stock Component Properties ParaffinsIso-ParaffinsNaphthenesAromatics VIvery highhighmedium/lowlowest Pour pointhighlowlowerlowest Tractionlowestlowmedium/highmedium/high Volatilitylowlowhigherhighest Solvencypoorfairgoodexcellent Oxidationgoodgoodlowereasily Resistanceresistanceoxidized

Synthetic Base stocks Synthesized hydrocarbons Synthesized non-hydrocarbons (typically containing oxygen atoms)

Synthesized hydrocarbons Polyalphaolefins Polybutenes Alkylated aromatics Cycloaliphatics

Polyalphaolefins (PAO) Chain molecular structures synthesized from ethylene polymerization High VI and high oxidation stability Low pour point, low traction and volatility Best as engine oil basestock. Most popular PAO is polydecenes, which is the basestock of Mobil 1

Polymerization of ethylene

PAO Manufacture 1-DecenePolydecene “Ideal”Actual R - CH = CH 2 Polymerization Hydrogenation Alpha-olefins Hydrogenated trimers, tetramers, etc. R - CH CH 2 - CH H CH 3 R x

Synthetic Polyalphaolefin (PAO) Hydrogenated Polydecene

From Crude Oil to Synthetic Lubricants  Synthetics are usually sourced from crude oil  Many manufacturing steps result in high cost Atmospheric Distillation Catalytic Cracking Distillation Catalytic Polymerization Hydrogenation Separation Cracker Feed Light Olefins Alphaolefins Distillation Catalytic Polymerization Formulation Blending Sales & Marketing Ethylene 1-Decene Polydecene Additives Crude Oil Synthetic Lubricants

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Polybutenes Synthezied through controlled polymerization of butenes and isobutenes High dielectrics constant – electrical insulating oils Low thermal stability – metal working and compressor lubes to decompose to gases High molecular weight polybutenes or polyisobutenes are used as VI improvers

Alkylated aromatics Synthesized from alkylation of benzenes Very low pour point and low viscosity – subzero temperature applications

Cycloaliphatics Synthesized naphthenes, multi-ring-structured molecules Develop a glasslike structure under high stresses to yield high traction Used as traction-drive fluids, also used in rolling bearings to reduce roller skidding

Synthesized non-hydrocarbons Organic esters Polyglycols Phosphate esters Silicate esters Polyphenyl esters

Organic esters Dibasic acid esters: Polyol esters: Wide temperature range and good thermal stability Used as base stocks for essentially all jet engine lubes

Polyglycols The largest single class of synthetic lubricant bases High VI and low pour point Used mainly as brake fluids and hydraulic fluids

Phosphate esters High fire resistance Used mainly as hydraulic fluids and compressor lubes Also used as antiwear additives by its formation of phosphide films on metal surfaces

Silicate ester Extremely high VI > 300 Used mainly as heat exchanger fluids

Polyphenyl esters Most thermally and oxidatively stable Used mainly as heat transfer fluids