If lubricating oils contain these additives, it means you've made the right purchase
In the modern machinery field, there are three key issues to be addressed: reducing the friction and wear of the main friction pairs in mechanical equipment, lowering energy consumption, and alleviating environmental pollution. Undoubtedly, lubricating oil is the core element in solving these problems, and extreme pressure and anti-wear additives are the very "soul" of lubricating oil. When machinery is operating under pressure conditions, adding extreme pressure and anti-wear agents to the lubricant is just like putting a layer of "protective armor" on the machinery. It can effectively reduce the friction and wear between mechanical components, prevent component sintering, keep the machinery in a good lubrication state all the time, thereby significantly improving the working efficiency of the machinery, prolonging its service life, and helping enterprises save costs and enhance benefits. Traditional extreme pressure and anti-wear additives mostly contain sulfur, phosphorus, and organic metal salts. However, with the development of the times, new types of extreme pressure and anti-wear additives are now making great strides towards being ashless, low in phosphorus, and low in sulfur, striving to better meet environmental protection requirements while ensuring their performance.
Phosphorus-based extreme pressure and anti-wear additives: A veteran force with wide applications
Organic phosphorus compounds have a long history as extreme pressure and anti-wear additives and have already "expanded their territory" in the industrial field, being widely used in every corner. They can be regarded as one of the additive categories with the widest application range and outstanding anti-wear effects at present. The family of phosphorus-based extreme pressure and anti-wear additives is quite large. If classified according to the active elements they contain, they can be further divided into phosphorus type, phosphorus-nitrogen type,sulfur-phosphorus type, sulfur-phosphorus-nitrogen type, sulfur-phosphorus-nitrogen-boron type, and so on. Among them, the phosphorus type anti-wear agent is an "old-timer". The series of phosphate esters and phosphite esters are typical representatives of it and have already emerged on the stage a long time ago.
Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic extreme pressure and anti-wear additives: A rising star with unlimited potential
Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds and their derivatives are like a rising star and have attracted much attention in the field of tribology in recent years. These compounds possess multiple "abilities", such as excellent anti-wear, antioxidant, dispersing, anti-rust, and anti-corrosion properties, and have become a hot research direction for many scientific researchers. According to the differences in the main structures of heterocycles, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic additives can be further divided into thiazole derivatives, thiadiazole derivatives, oxazoline, benzotriazole derivatives, imidazoline derivatives, pyridine and imidazoline, diazine derivatives, triazine derivatives, and many other categories. Each category contains huge application potential.
Boron-containing extreme pressure and anti-wear additives: A new force with outstanding advantages
Boron-based additives, as a new type of non-active extreme pressure and anti-wear additives, are gradually emerging and attracting more and more attention by virtue of their unique chemical stability. From the perspective of chemical structure, boron-based additives mainly cover two branches: organic borate esters and inorganic borates. The advantages of boron-containing additives are numerous. They not only have excellent thermal oxidation stability and excellent sealing adaptability, but also have no corrosive effect on copper under high-temperature environments. Moreover, they have outstanding anti-rust ability for steel, can significantly improve the operating environment, and possess excellent load-carrying capacity and friction-reducing and anti-wear properties, which are superior to traditional sulfur and phosphorus-based additives. At present, they have been widely used in industrial gear oils, two-stroke oils, and other oil products. It is particularly worth mentioning that organic borate esters are the "potential stocks" among boron-based additives and have broad development prospects. A large number of research results show that almost all organic borate esters have the properties of reducing friction and being antioxidant by nature, and some also have excellent anti-wear effects. Furthermore, their thermal stability is first-class. They have no impact on copper under high temperatures, have excellent anti-rust performance for steel, have good sealing adaptability, are non-toxic and odorless, and fully conform to the trend of environmental protection. These bright spots make them far superior to traditional phosphorus and sulfur-containing extreme pressure and anti-wear additives.
Organic metal salt-based extreme pressure and anti-wear additives: A backbone force facing challenges
Organic metal salts have always been an important part of lubricating oil additives and have a wide range of applications. According to the structural characteristics of compounds, they can be mainly classified into the following categories: first, metal salts of dialkyldithiocarbamic acid; second, dialkyldithiophosphates; third, polymers containing active metal elements (mainly EDTA water-soluble metal complexes). However, in recent years, as environmental protection regulations have been tightened day by day, the demand for ashless lubricating oil additives has increased explosively, which has made lubricating oil additives containing metal elements face unprecedented challenges. Among them, zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) is a "versatile player" with multiple functions such as antioxidant, anti-corrosion, extreme pressure, and anti-wear. Since the middle of the 20th century, it has been firmly rooted in internal combustion engine oils and other oil products and is an indispensable additive component. Meanwhile, it also has a very high "appearance rate" in industrial gear oils, hydraulic oils, and other industrial oil products. In addition, molybdenum compound lubricating materials play a significant role in the lubrication field. Organic molybdenum-based additives integrate functions such as anti-wear, friction reduction, extreme pressure, and antioxidant, and are favored by both the academic community and the industrial community. Experimental data strongly prove that MoDTC has excellent extreme pressure and anti-wear properties. Especially when it is used in combination with ZDDP, the two show an extremely excellent anti-wear synergistic effect and can provide stronger protection for machinery.
Nano anti-wear additives: Frontier exploration with promising prospects
With the rapid development of nanotechnology and surface analysis technology, many scholars have focused their attention on nanoparticles, attempting to use them as a breakthrough to develop new lubricating oil additives. At present, the nanomaterials used as lubricating oil additives mainly include the following categories: first, inorganic substances with a layered structure, such as graphite, MoS2, etc.; second, nano-soft metals, such as Cu, Al, Ni, etc.; third, nano-oxides, such as Al2O3, ZnO, etc.; fourth, compounds containing the active element S, such as PbS, ZnS, etc.; fifth, inorganic borates, such as Cu3(BO3)2, Ni3(BO3)2, etc.; sixth, rare earth compounds, such as rare earth fluorides LaF3, rare earth oxides La2O3, CeO2, and rare earth hydroxides La(OH)3, etc. Among them, rare earth compounds have huge potential as lubricating oil additives, possessing advantages such as high temperature resistance, good oil solubility, and low pollution. For this reason, new multi-functional rare earth organic complex additives have emerged in large numbers like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.
Looking ahead, as people's awareness of environmental protection is increasing day by day and environmental protection regulations are becoming more and more stringent, new extreme pressure and anti-wear additives will show the following development trends: For phosphorus-based extreme pressure and anti-wear additives, on the basis of ensuring that their extreme pressure and anti-wear performance remains unchanged, efforts will be made to improve their thermal oxidation stability and reduce the consumption of phosphorus so as to extend their service life, which will be the main direction of their development. For boron-based extreme pressure and anti-wear additives, efforts will be made to explore the compounding rules and internal mechanisms with other extreme pressure and anti-wear additives and to fully develop boron-containing agents with hydrolysis stability to meet higher usage requirements. For nitrogen-containing heterocyclic lubricating additives, green synthesis methods will be used to strive for high yields, low costs, and the creation of multi-functional nitrogen-containing heterocyclic derivative lubricating additives with ideal effects. Meanwhile, new characterization methods will be used to deeply analyze their friction action mechanisms. As for nano-particle-based extreme pressure and anti-wear additives, as an emerging technological force, the top priority is to overcome the problems of agglomeration and cost and to conduct in-depth research on the compounding rules with conventional additives in lubricating oils to unlock more potential and bring new changes to mechanical lubrication.
In short, different types of extreme pressure and anti-wear additives have their own characteristics. They cooperate and work together to jointly safeguard the efficient, stable, and environmentally friendly operation of modern machinery and continuously inject impetus into the sustainable development of the lubricating oil industry. In the future, with the continuous progress of science and technology, it is believed that more excellent-performance, green, and environmentally friendly extreme pressure and anti-wear additives will come out, helping the machinery industry move towards a new peak.
What are EP/AW additives?
Extreme Pressure (EP) and Anti-Wear (AW) additives are specific types of lubricant additives used to reduce wear, prevent metal-to-metal contact, and enhance the performance of lubricants operating under high pressure and load conditions. EP additives protect metal surfaces under extreme pressure conditions, whereas AW additives provide wear protection under more moderate conditions. These additives are essential components in various industrial and automotive lubricants, such as gear oils, hydraulic fluids, and engine oils.
Applications of EP/AW Additives
Extreme Pressure (EP) and Anti-Wear (AW) additives play a critical role in enhancing the performance and extending the life of lubricants in various applications by reducing wear and preventing metal-to-metal contact, especially under high pressure and load conditions. Some common applications of EP/AW additives include:
Engine oils: EP/AW additives can be found in engine oils used in automotive, marine, and industrial applications. They help protect engine components from wear, extend engine life, and maintain optimum performance under high loads and pressures.
Gear oils: Gears operate under high pressure and load conditions where metal-to-metal contact can cause wear and damage. EP/AW additives are essential components in gear oils used in automotive and industrial gearboxes, ensuring that gears function smoothly and reduce wear, pitting, and seizure.
Hydraulic fluids: Hydraulic systems, commonly found in construction, mining, and industrial equipment, require hydraulic fluids with EP/AW additives to protect components such as pumps, cylinders, and valves from wear and damage under high pressure and load conditions.
Greases: In automotive and industrial applications, greases with EP/AW additives are used to provide lubrication for components such as bearings, slides, and joints that experience high pressure and load conditions, significantly improving wear protection and extending component life.
Compressor oils: Compressor oils can also benefit from EP/AW additives, especially those used in screw-type and reciprocating compressors, as they minimize wear and reduce friction in high-pressure environments.
Turbine oils: In turbines, particularly steam turbines, EP/AW additives help protect components like bearings and gearboxes from wear and damage, ensuring smooth and reliable operation.
Metalworking fluids: Metalworking fluids that are used in processes such as cutting, grinding, and shaping require EP/AW additives to minimize tool wear and protect workpiece surfaces from damage during high-pressure and high-load operations.
These applications highlight the importance and versatility of EP/AW additives in various industries, where they contribute to improved performance, reduced wear, and extended component life under challenging conditions.
The Price of EP/AW additives
The price of EP/AW additive depending on factors such as brand, specification, composition, and sales channels. If you are interested in EP/AW additives, please feel free to contact us.
Supplier of EP/AW additives
UNPChemicals is a professional supplier of high-quality and effective EP/AW additives. We offer several remarkable products, namely Amine-neutralized hexyl phosphate PSAIL 3490,Amine-neutralized mixed phosphate Esters PSAIL 2280,Phosphorothioate acrylate derivatives PSAIL 3530,etc.
Amine-neutralized hexyl phosphate PSAIL 3490 is a specialized mixture of amine phosphate salts known for its multifunctional ashless additive characteristics. As an ashless additive, PSAIL 3490 does not produce ash as combustion by-products, reducing engine deposits and harmful emissions. PSAIL 3490 is a multifunctional additive, providing a range of benefits in a single product, making it highly versatile and cost-effective.
Amine-neutralized mixed phosphate esters PSAIL 2280 is a multifunctional ashless additive structured as a phosphate ester amine salt with excellent load carrying capacity, anti-wear and corrosion protection properties. As a multifunctional additive, PSAIL 2280 reduces the amount of anti-emulsifier and rust inhibitor and has good tribological properties, especially at higher temperatures, forming thicker boundary lubricant films. In addition, PSAIL2280 is widely used in metalworking fluid formulations in conjunction with sulfur carriers because of its good anti-wear properties.
Phosphorothioate Acrylate Derivatives PSAIL 3530 is an ashless EP/AW additive with dialkyl dithiophosphate structure, especially suitable for industrial lubricating oils with FZG test requirements, such as industrial gear oil, anti-wear hydraulic oil containing ZDDP, lubricating grease and metal processing oil.
Conclusion
This article focuses on extreme pressure (EP) and anti-wear (AW) additives in lubricants. Firstly, it points out that in the modern machinery field, lubricating oil is crucial for solving problems related to friction, wear, energy consumption and pollution, and the extreme pressure and anti-wear additives therein are even more critical. Traditional additives containing sulfur, phosphorus and other elements are developing towards being ashless, low in phosphorus and sulfur. Then it elaborately introduces various additives such as phosphorus-based, nitrogen-containing heterocyclic, boron-containing, organic metal salt-based and nano additives, expounding their characteristics, advantages and application status. For example, phosphorus-based additives are widely used and boron-containing ones have outstanding advantages. It also mentions that future additives should comply with environmental protection regulations and make efforts in improving performance and solving problems like agglomeration and cost. Finally, it emphasizes that these additives are widely used in many fields such as engine oils and gear oils, and are of great significance for improving the operating efficiency of machinery and prolonging the service life of components. They cooperate with each other to promote the development of the machinery and lubricating oil industries.
UNPChemicals supplies various lubricating oil additives such as friction modifiers, metal deactivators, extreme pressure anti-wear agents and metal processing additives. If you're interested, please contact us.