Synthetic Lubricants

Overview
Polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) are excellent candidates for synthetic lubricants. They provide natural lubricity, a low pour point, additive compatibility, and lack of varnish or coke formation. PPGs are typically utilized in lubricant applications to:

• minimize deposits and reduce fire hazards
• reduce catalyst contamination due to lubricant carry-over
• reduce product contamination
• reduce susceptibility to viscosity reduction via dilution by product gases
• improve productivity & reduce costs

The performance of these products can be greatly improved by the incorporation of antiwear and extreme pressure additives. Rust inhibitors may be used to obtain residual corrosion protection, and oxidation inhibitors may be used to provide oxidation stability.

Products
The following products can be used as synthetic lubricants. Although each product has unique properties based on molecular weight and the monomer used, they all share some common properties.

Specific Applications
PAGs display minimal tendency toward the formation of varnish and coke deposits at high temperatures and are used as carriers for solid lubricants, such as graphite and molybdenum disulfide. Formulated with thickeners, PPGs are used as greases in high temperature applications where mineral oil formulations would result in coke-type deposits.

These products are used in synthetic lubricants including:

• compressor lubricants
• hydraulic fluid lubricant
• LDPE hyper-compressor lubricants
• lubricants used in textile processing
• rotary air compressor lubricants
• gears and bearings
• stamping and cutting metalworking fluids

Also see UCON™ Fluids. CARBOWAX™ PEGs and MPEGs are also used in lubricant applications.

†Trademark of Dow Quimica S.A.