# Lubricant additives

Detergents, dispersants, anti-wear and viscosity additives that turn base oil into engine and industrial lubricants; four firms make about 80%.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/

Specialty chemicals · Performance additives · No. 80

- Product family
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- a little over 4 Mt (2022), forecast about 4.5 Mt in 2027, still below 2018
- 2.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 381121, 381129
 Specialty chemicals · Performance additives · Foundation · Matter

Up to a quarter of your engine oil is additives, and just four companies make about 80% of them.

Chart: Illustration: Lubricant additives

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Polyisobutylene reacts with maleic anhydride and polyamines to make dispersants; ZDDP anti-wear, about 8-10% zinc, comes from alcohols, phosphorus sulphide and zinc oxide.

##### Three things to know

1. Heavy-duty diesel oils take about 31% of additives, because soot and acids demand heavy dispersant and detergent loads.
2. After IMO 2020 cut marine fuel sulphur to 0.5%, ship cylinder oils dropped from 100 BN to 40-70 BN.
3. World demand of about 4 Mt in 2022 was still below 2018, and is forecast at only 4.5 Mt in 2027.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Petrochemicals**Polyisobutylene, maleic anhydride, amines, sulphonic acids
2. 2 **Components**Dispersants, detergents, ZDDP and VI improvers
3. 3 **Packages**Blended and certified to API, ACEA specs
4. 4 **Lubricant blending**Mixed into base oil by oil companies
5. 5 **Engines, machines**Cars, trucks, ships and metalworking

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/links/index.md)