Chevron Phillips Chemicals has begun production of polyalphaolefins (PAOs: Polyalphaolefins) on a Cedar Bayou plant (Texas, USA) with a 20% increase in oxidation stability compared to conventional PAOs.
The new process includes a hydrogenation section, which is the final step in the production process. In the laboratory study, it was found that the distillation process in the last step with the hydrogenation ratio worked better, and that the process change had no effect on the other properties of the polyalphaolefin.
The oxidative stability of poly-α-olefins is a key parameter. Poly-α-olefins are used as base oil for automobiles and diesel vehicles, and there are other industrial applications that extend the oil change period. Product improvements do not affect the viscosity grade and can be used in other manufacturers' PAO products.
In the study, Chevron Phillips Chemicals verified the performance of antioxidants in synthetic base oils and mineral base oils. The use of such additives has continued to increase, especially in Europe, as the performance standards for automotive oils have become more stringent.
The company examined the combined advantages of using 0.5% amine antioxidants and phenolic antioxidants in PAOs and mineral oils. Once the optimum ratio has been determined, the amount of additives can be optimized.
The conclusion is that on PAOs it is best to use a mixture of octyldiphenylamine and butyldiphenylamine, with other additives having no optimal effect. It has also been found that the base oil can withstand 1% of the additive, and the amount of addition of the base oil is also good.