 
As soon as an engine, pump or compressor, is started, oils need to be pumpable. If oil gets cold enough, it will begin to solidify and fail to flow causing bearings and other critical parts to fail almost immediately.
Modern refining techniques remove most but not all of the wax from the oil. Remaining waxes are soluble at ambient temperatures but crystallize into honeycomb-like structures at lower temperatures. It is this process that results in the gelling of the oil and the resultant flow problems.
The IRGAFLO® product family minimizes the potential for waxes to aggregate. As shown in Figure 1 IRGAFLO® lowers the temperature at which oil will start to gel so that the product you sell meets your end customers' needs in cold weather conditions.
| Figure 1. Impact on Pour Point Temperature by the Addition of 0.15-0.5% of IRGAFLO® |
The IRGAFLO® product range is based on co-polymers of polyalkyl methacrylates solubalized in highly refined neutral oil. The polymerization process that we utilize allows an end product to have a very defined molecular weight distribution. An example of a typical pour point achieved by IRGAFLO® is shown in Figure 2.
In addition, the performance of IRGAFLO® does not rapidly fall as the concentration is reduced thus giving customers confidence that they can optimize dosage rates.
| Figure 2. Impact Different Concentrations of IRGAFLO® has on Pour Point Temperature. |
In test work IRGAFLO® products are able to achieve the desired pour point temperature without negatively impacting the specifications for the parameters defined in Figure 3.
| Parameter | ASTM Test Method |
| Pour Point Temperature | ASTM D5950 |
| Scanning Brookfield Viscosity at -30oC | ASTM D5133 |
| Gelation Index | NA |
| Kinematic Viscosity | ASTM D445 |
| Mini Rotary Viscosity | ASTM D4684 |
| Air Release | ASTM D3427 |
| Foam Release | ASTM D892 |
| Sonic Sheer | ASTM D2603-01, D5621-01 |
| Figure 3. Parameters that have Been Assessed for IRGAFLO® |
Sometimes a blended package may achieve an acceptable pour point but the viscosity is too high for the end application. Figure 4 highlights that adding 0.2 wt% of IRGAFLO® could help reduce the viscosity of the end package thus allowing the product to achieve the required performance standard.
| Product | Pour Point (°C) | Brookfield Viscosity at -40°C (Cps) |
| Type II Oil minus PPD | -58 | 14,777 |
| Type II Oil with IRGAFLO® | -56 | 8,648 |
| Figure 4. Impact on Scanning Brookfield Viscosity at -40oC by the Addition of 0.2 wt% IRGAFLO® |
Let Ciba be your Formulation Partner
A lubricant’s performance can vary depending upon the quality of the base oil and the additive packages. At Ciba, we recognize that time and resources are required to qualify and approve new products. To help support you in this area, we offer all our customers the option of allowing Ciba to perform a full screening assessment of how IRGAFLO® products will perform in your specific application.
Please call your Sales Representative or click on the following link and provide your contact details. We will contact you to discuss the next steps.
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