GREVEN INSIGHTS LUBRICANTS: LIGALUB Esters as Base Oils
Due to the increasing importance of biodegradable lubricants, the demand for biolubricants derived from renewable resources is growing. In certain application areas, they already play a central role and have become indispensable in the lubricant industry.
Esters have established themselves as high-performance base oils for lubricants in general, and bio-lubricants in particular. With our LIGALUB product line, we have created a high-quality portfolio of monoesters, glycerol esters, polyol esters, and complex esters that are tailored to the requirements of the lubricant industry.
LIGALUB esters can be used as base oils for hydraulic oils, greases, industrial oils, cooling lubricants, and engine oils. We cover a wide range with saturated and unsaturated esters in a viscosity range of 8 to 1,000 mm²/s at 40 °C. Acknowledging the diverse requirements of application areas, we specifically optimize our products with regard to the essential performance criteria. We consider market-relevant issues, such as the relationship between hydrolytic stability and biodegradability, or the interaction between hydrolytic stability and seal compatibility. We also continuously improve our products considering other important performance parameters, including oxidation stability, aging behavior, low-temperature performance, and evaporation loss.
In addition to optimizing the existing portfolio, with polyol and complex esters being the core products, the development of new lubricant esters is a second focus. Currently, we are working on sebacates and new complex esters with alternative alcohol bases. The newly developed complex esters are specifically designed for industrial oils that must withstand high thermal loads without causing deposits. The patented sebacates stand out due to their excellent viscosity index and achieve mild biodegradability even at high viscosities while maintaining good performance.
Collaboration with additive manufacturers is important as well. Appropriate additives can unlock the full potential of our esters. For water-miscible cooling lubricants, we work closely with KAO Chemicals. If you are interested in learning more about the results, please feel free to contact our product manager, Nadine Flügel. We are also already in contact with different additive manufacturers for hydraulic and industrial oils.
