Lubricant

Additives
Fundamentals of
Lubrication Series
#8

Aaron Said
CLS, OMA-I, MLE
Additives are chemical
substances added into base
oil so they can:
1. Enhance favourable
properties of base oil
2. Lessen the effects of
undesirable properties of
base oil
3. Introduce new properties
into the lubricant

Additives solve lubricant

performance problems
that base oil alone cannot.

Let's have a look what are

the problems:
 Lubricant ageing and
degradation problem

Base oil is subject to degradation over time due

to reaction with oxygen and foreign substances
during operation.

Antioxidants are added to slow down the

oxidation process and prolong the life of
lubricants.

Without this additive, a lubricant cannot last long.

 Rust and corrosion
problem

Metals are subject to rust (ferrous) and corrosion

(non-ferrous).

Base oil can provide some rust protection by

itself, but it is insufficient. Attacks from water and
acids will lead to surface damage.

Rust and Corrosion Inhibitors are added to form

protective film on the metal surface.
 Boundary lubrication
problems

Boundary lubrication happens when the oil film

cannot provide a complete metal-to-metal
separation (refer to Series #4: Lubricant Regimes).

Additives must step in to protect against friction

and wear under this condition.

Antiwear and Extreme Pressure Additives are

added to form protective films on contacting
metal surfaces.
 Viscosity-temperature
behaviour problem

Since viscosity changes with temperatures,

lubricant is limited to work within a narrow
temperature range. Modern lubricants demand a
broader temperature coverage (refer to Series #6:
Viscosity & Viscosity Index).

Viscosity Index Improvers are added to make

the lubricant less sensitive to change in
temperatures and suitable for a wider
temperature range.
 Low temperature flow
problem

Mineral oils do not flow well at cold temperatures:

they will form wax crystals. This not only affects
flow but also causes filter plugging.

Pour point depressants are added to delay the

formation of wax crystals, allowing the lubricant
to flow at very low temperatures.

Pour Point is the lowest temperature

at which the lubricant will flow.
 Foaming problem

Foaming is the formation of air bubbles in oil. Air

bubbles have adverse effects in lubricant and
lead to many issues including:
- Compromised hydrodynamic lubrication
- Reduced heat transfer
- Power transfer losses

Antifoaming agents are added to break the air

bubbles and minimise foaming tendency.
 Water demulsibility
problem

Generally oil and water do not mix. But in some

conditions, they can mix and stay that way. Water
can cause rust, corrosion, and accelerate the
oxidation process.

Demulsifiers are added to speed up the

separation of water in the oil. Demulsibility is an
important property for circulating oils such as
hydraulic, turbine, gear and compressor oils.

Note: There are applications where emulsibility is

preferred such as in metalworking.
 Combustion effects
problem

Combustion in engines generates harmful

substances such as soot and acids.

They can't be avoided, therefore their effects

must be controlled. Viscosity thickening,
corrosion and abrasive wear caused by acids and
soot will affect engine life.

Detergents and dispersants are the additives

meant to control the build-up of deposits,
neutralise acids and prevent soot from
agglomerating.
Notes on Lubricant Additives
• Additives contain as little as 1% (turbine oils) and as
high as 30% (engine oils) of lubricant formulation.

• Additive mixes must be balanced because they may

oppose each other such as EP and rust/corrosion
inhibitors.

• Additives can deplete if their mechanism is sacrificial

and undergo chemical and physical changes (e.g.
antioxidants, anti-wear).

• There are additives that can perform more than one

function (e.g. ZDDP is used as antiwear and
antioxidant).

• Typical additive composition by lubricant type:

 To Recap
Lubricant Additives
Additives are added to solve lubricant performance
problems that base oil alone cannot.

The eight (non-exhaustive) problems are:

- Lubricant ageing and degradation
- Rust and corrosion
- Boundary lubrication
- Viscosity-temperature behaviour
- Low temperature flow
- Foaming
- Water demulsibility
- Combustion effects
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Aaron Said
CLS, OMA-I, MLE