Lubricant additives: Production route
How dispersants, detergents and anti-wear agents are made
What this tab covers How it is made: the main production routes or, for product families, the main product types and technologies, compared on share of supply, inputs per tonne, plant scale, yield, co-products and unit cost.Lubricant additives are a family of components combined into packages. The main product types are dispersants (keep soot and sludge suspended), detergents (neutralise acids and clean), anti-wear agents (ZDDP), viscosity index improvers (polymers that thicken oil when hot), antioxidants, friction modifiers and pour-point depressants. Viscosity improvers are over a quarter of demand and dispersants about a fifth (Lubes'n'Greases, 2023). The value is in formulation and engine-test certification, which costs millions of dollars per package and protects the big four.
Routes compared
| Route | Share of supply | Inputs per tonne | Typical scale | Yield | Co-products | Unit cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dispersants (polyisobutylene succinimides) | about one fifth of demand | mostly PIB and diluent oil (indicative) | plants of tens of kt/yr (indicative) | not published | water | not published |
| Detergents (calcium and magnesium sulphonates, phenates, salicylates) | not published | alkylbenzene sulphonic acid, lime, CO2, diluent oil (indicative) | not published | not published | none significant | not published |
| Anti-wear (ZDDP) and friction modifiers | not published | zinc about 8-10% of ZDDP by weight (indicative) | not published | not published | H2S handled | zinc and phosphorus price exposure |
| Viscosity index improvers and pour-point depressants | over a quarter of demand | ethylene-propylene copolymer or methacrylates (indicative) | not published | not applicable | none | not published |
How each route works
Dispersants (polyisobutylene succinimides)PIB (from isobutylene) reacts with maleic anhydride to PIBSA, then with polyamines to succinimide. Ashless; the largest component in engine oil packages.
Core of engine oils; demand tied to engine oil volume.
Lubes'n'Greases (May 2023) Detergents (calcium and magnesium sulphonates, phenates, salicylates)Sulphonic acids or alkylphenols are neutralised with lime and overbased with CO2 to carry colloidal calcium carbonate, giving base number (BN) to neutralise acids.
Essential; ash limits under DPF-era specs.
indicative Anti-wear (ZDDP) and friction modifiersAlcohols react with P2S5 to dithiophosphoric acid, neutralised with zinc oxide. ZDDP forms protective films on cams and also acts as antioxidant. Molybdenum dithiocarbamate and organic esters reduce friction.
Cheap, effective; phosphorus poisons catalysts, so limited to about 0.08% P in many engine oils (indicative).
indicative Viscosity index improvers and pour-point depressantsOlefin copolymers, polymethacrylates and hydrogenated styrene-diene polymers dissolved in oil; they uncoil when hot to keep viscosity.
Enables multigrade and low-viscosity oils; shear stability limits.
Lubes'n'Greases (May 2023) Unit economics are indicative ranges from the sources named; costs move with feedstock and energy prices, plant size and region.