Delivering New, More Sustainable Raw Materials for Growing Automotive and Electric Vehicle Maker Demands

Global metalworking fluid, grease, and lubricating oil manufacturers, notably those seeking new, more sustainable lubricants using renewable base oils/high-quality additives for the automotive and electric vehicle (EV) industries, can anticipate new high-performance, environmentally minded vegetable-type extreme pressure lubricant additives (EP additives) from DIC Corporation (DIC).

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DAILUBE KS-519 (Photo: Business Wire)

As DIC’s newest light-colored sulfurized triglyceride mixtures are in the testing phase, algae oil-based DAILUBE™ KS-519 sulfurized EP additives are well-positioned to deliver outstanding performances, helping lubricant oil manufacturers and automobile makers reduce carbon emissions, waste, and water use, paving the way to improved overall environmental footprints, contributing to greater sustainability scores.

Hironobu Matsueda, a chemical industry expert on EP additives and DIC KS-519 product development leader will attend the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers 78th STLE Annual Meeting & Exhibition, May 19-23, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

DIC hopes to meet representatives of global lubricant suppliers producing automotive lubricants, industrial lubricants, lubricating greases, and metal processing lubricants, seeking KS-519 samples for testing in their lubricant oil formulations or on machine parts, gears, or bearings.

Matsueda notes, “With the rise of EVs, we expect higher demand for larger automobile parts, increasing press processing and creating demand for sulfurized oils. We believe KS-519 performs better than conventional sulfurized oils and provides greater sustainability than vegetable-based oils.”

“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 corners 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.”

Leveraging Checkerspot Biotechnology for Commercial Algae Oil Production

A key collaborator in DIC’s movement toward renewables promoting circular economy solutions, rising biotechnology pioneer Checkerspot is using its proprietary WING® Platform to supply 100% biobased, algae-derived lubrication inputs that surpass the performance properties of other EP additives on the market, 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 demonstrates performance needn't be compromised by sustainability. It's inspiring to witness a leader in the lubricant market so committed to both innovation and sustainability."

Checkerspot CSO and Co-founder Scott Franklin added, "The scale of this opportunity and the potential volumes of oil associated with it once again underscores microalgae’s incredible potential to deliver high-performance, cost-effective, market-ready solutions. These new algae oil-based EP additives also present another opportunity to show the world that algae fermentation, utilizing Brazilian sugarcane co-located with the plant, delivers a more sustainable method for producing triglyceride oils. This collaboration with DIC will showcase these performance benefits to a broader audience hungry for sustainable, high-performance lubricants with reduced carbon footprints."

Algae Oil-Based EP Additives Poised to Promote Sustainability

KS-519 is projected to deliver higher performance than vegetable oil-based alternatives—a high-demand solution, notably in the EU 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, lower viscosity, and odor akin to vegetable oil-based formulations.

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