Understanding The Fundamentals Of Viscosity Modifiers For Engine Oils

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Sorry but Lubrizol is NOT 'the acknowledged global leader in this field' (VMs) and never has been!!

Rohm Darmstadt were probably the first leaders in the early post-war years with their 'Acryloid' PMA-based polymers. In terms of OCP viscosity improvers, the field was initially led by Texaco (because of their tie-up with DSM/Copolymer). Exxon (through their Paramins division) arguably took over the lead in the '60s with the championing of their so-called 'hi-ethylene' OCPs. The technical (but not commercial) lead was taken over by Shell in the 1970s with the introduction of Hydrogenated Styrene Diene VII polymers.

Things may have changed since I left but when I last looked, Lubrizol's biggest selling global VIIs were all bought in from Mitsui Chemicals using processing tech wholly developed by Mitsui; not Lubrizol!

Acknowledging yourself to be a global leader (but by no one else) doesn't really count for much does it?
 
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Originally Posted by SonofJoe
Sorry but Lubrizol is NOT 'the acknowledged global leader in this field' (VMs) and never has been!!

Rohm Darmstadt were probably the first leaders in the early post-war years with their 'Acryloid' PMA-based polymers. In terms of OCP viscosity improvers, the field was initially led by Texaco (because of their tie-up with DSM/Copolymer). Exxon (through their Paramins division) arguably took over the lead in the '60s with the championing of their so-called 'hi-ethylene' OCPs. The technical (but not commercial) lead was taken over by Shell in the 1970s with the introduction of Hydrogenated Styrene Diene VII polymers.

Things may have changed since I left but when I last looked, Lubrizol's biggest selling global VIIs were all bought in from Mitsui Chemicals using processing tech wholly developed by Mitsui; not Lubrizol!

Acknowledging yourself to be a global leader (but by no one else) doesn't really count for much does it?





Sure it does. It counts your credibility....right out.

Wood isn't a "polymer" either.

(I dunno much about VM's, but apparently I know more about wood than they do.)
 
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Originally Posted by SonofJoe
Sorry but Lubrizol is NOT 'the acknowledged global leader in this field' (VMs) and never has been!!

Rohm Darmstadt were probably the first leaders in the early post-war years with their 'Acryloid' PMA-based polymers. In terms of OCP viscosity improvers, the field was initially led by Texaco (because of their tie-up with DSM/Copolymer). Exxon (through their Paramins division) arguably took over the lead in the '60s with the championing of their so-called 'hi-ethylene' OCPs. The technical (but not commercial) lead was taken over by Shell in the 1970s with the introduction of Hydrogenated Styrene Diene VII polymers.

Things may have changed since I left but when I last looked, Lubrizol's biggest selling global VIIs were all bought in from Mitsui Chemicals using processing tech wholly developed by Mitsui; not Lubrizol!

Acknowledging yourself to be a global leader (but by no one else) doesn't really count for much does it?

Haha, I would have to agree with that sentiment. LZ has a couple good ones that I've used, but they are far from the "global leader" in VMs.
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Of the ones I am more intimately familiar with, I would put Evonik at the "industry leader" in this area simply because of the size of their product portfolio and range of applications they make them for.
 
I've never seen a proper analysis (it probably doesn't even exist) but I'd bet a penny to a pinch of salt that Lubrizol is by far and away the biggest global supplier of VIIs.

However this has naff all to do with Lubrizol being 'an acknowledged market leader' & everything to do with the self-serving restrictions on how oils & additive systems get 'approved'. An 'approval' specifically applies to DI A with VII B in Base Oil C in Viscosity Grade D.

Now you can easily convince yourself that say, all 22 SSI amorphous OCPs are essentially the same. However any API, ACEA or OEM approval will only apply to a specific, 'named' 22 SSI amorphous OCP. If you sell gargantuan amounts of DI & link the approval tests to your own specific, named VII, you scoop the pot because customers can't substitute Joe Bloggs Chemicals identical VII even if Joe Bloggs were giving it away free of charge!
 
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