EP Lubricant Additives

Team leader and KS-519 developer Hironobu Matsueda notes, “With rising electric and hybrid vehicle industry demand, we expect larger automobile parts to be in higher demand than smaller parts, increasing press processing within the automobile industry overall, and thus creating greater demand for sulfurized oils. We believe KS-519 offers higher performance than conventional sulfurized oils while providing greater sustainability than other vegetable-based oils.”

“KS-519 represents the first development using new fats, and its characteristics make it suitable for applications requiring load-bearing and thermal stability, such as press processing and grease. We plan to continue developing sulfur-based extreme pressure agents, including active and high-viscosity types, utilizing new fats to adapt to various applications.”

“KS-519 also benefits cutting oil processes by reducing energy usage. Manufacturers prefer using low-viscosity lubricating oils for cutting processes, as lubricants must spread to each corner during machining. Neither sulfurized lard nor other high-viscosity types are suitable. Manufacturers often use products with medium viscosity or lower (40°C dynamic viscosity: 400 mm2/s or lower), making KS-519 an ideal solution.”

While mineral oil lubricants were once among the most used for metalworking fluids, non-mineral oil lubricants are expanding, notably in operations or industries with sustainability criteria and strict environmental regulations.

Vegetable oil types are often biodegradable and more environmentally friendly than standard mineral oil-based lubricants. Moreover, formulators can combine vegetable oils with additives to enhance their performance, including lubricity, cooling properties, and stability.

Vegetable oils (canola, palm, etc.) are prime examples of the most common types used in metalworking fluids due to their efficient supply and greater sustainability than animal-based oils. The growing population’s need for more food and increasing industrial demand for bio-based materials are increasing the demand for vegetable oils thus opening the door for an alternative to vegetable oils in lubricants.

With growing global concerns over the continued use of fossil fuels, electric and hybrid vehicle production continues to increase. Rising electric and hybrid vehicle production and increasing regulations on environmental impacts have boosted demands for vegetable oil lubricants.

Larger automobile parts are expected to be in higher demand than smaller parts, increasing press processing that traditionally uses sulfurized vegetable oil within the automobile industry.

Rising electric and hybrid vehicle production and increasing environmental regulations have boosted demand for vegetable oil lubricants. Larger automobile parts are expected to be in higher demand than smaller parts, increasing press processing that traditionally uses sulfurized vegetable oil within the automobile industry.

KS-519 is projected to deliver higher performance than all vegetable oil-based alternatives—a solution in high demand, notably in the European Union and North America, where environmental regulations already impact major industry player operations. Initial testing performed by DIC customers is delivering very promising results, where KS-519 demonstrates very high lubricity scores, on par with darker, lard-based oils, yet possessing the light color and lower viscosity and odor of common to vegetable oil-based formulations.

DIC believes sustainability means finding new ways of using the Earth's resources more efficiently while balancing environmental protection and economic prosperity. Here, DIC is working to develop more environmentally friendly products together with biotechnology pioneer Checkerspot.

Checkerspot ferments algae to make renewable oils at a commercial scale for performance materials and ingredients. Its proprietary WING® Platform supplies 100% biobased, algae-derived lubrication inputs that surpass the performance properties of other EP additives on the market, once again demonstrating that sacrificing performance for sustainability is a false choice. Checkerspot CEO and Co-founder Charles Dimmler says, "We’re excited to work with DIC to commercialize the world’s first algae oil-based high-performance sulfurized EP additive. DAILUBE™ KS-519 proves performance needn't be compromised by sustainability."

DIC’s new innovative algae oil-based sulfurized additives may reduce carbon emissions in industrial production while reducing environmental burdens through more effective land and water use. By developing more efficient algae oil-based materials, DIC aims to reduce industrial environmental impacts so that we can pass on a rich natural environment to future generations.

Using algae oil-based KS-519 as an EP additive can reduce carbon emissions by 5% compared to GS-240, a sustainable vegetable oil–based product in the DAILUBE™ series. Moreover, the algae oil used in KS-519 requires approximately 85% less cultivated land than canola oil and approximately 87% less water than palm oil per kg of oil, as set out in more detail below, and is thus expected to contribute to a significant reduction in environmental impact.