SUSTAINABILITY
How can esters improve both intrinsic and extrinsic sustainability?
Gareth Moody, Research and Technology Specialist, and Gemma Stephenson, Business Development Manager, Cargill
Introduction
Sustainable development is happening on a global basis [1]. At the core is a call for concerted efforts towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet. For this to happen, it is crucial to harmonise the three elements of social development, eco- nomic growth and environmental protection. Central to environmental protection is the recognition that green- house gas levels, particularly CO2
, in the atmosphere need to be reduced to slow down the global temperature rise and avoid catastrophic events [2].
It has been realised that within the lubricants industry, decarbonisation is required across the whole value chain and collaboration is essential in making this happen. Initiatives are underway to reduce carbon embedded in raw materials (scope 3 emissions), as well as reduce reliance on fossil- based processes within manufacturing (scope 1 and 2). Within the scope 3 emissions umbrella, the “use of sold products” [3] allows for lubricant additive manufacturers to design technologies that allow for carbon re- ductions and savings.
As an industry, product performance is the primary con- sideration when designing additives, base oils and finished lubricants. A product MUST deliver performance benefits to the customer that are second to none. These are known as the extrinsic benefits. It is also desirable to maximise intrinsic benefits at the same time, e.g., bio- degradability or bioaccumulation potential.
However, we understand that with product performance will also come a carbon footprint, or an environmental footprint of some kind. Reports have indicated that up to 80% of a materials carbon footprint can be attributed to carbon embedded
40 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.181 JUNE 2024
in raw materials [4]. It is therefore a balancing act, but also vital to create products which are safe and sustainable by design, and to use innovation as a tool to create ingredients that deliver maximum performance benefits, but which also have a minimal car- bon/environmental footprint.
Biobased materials are derived from biomass and are de- fined as renewable resources, which can be replenished over time. Biobased materials allow for the consideration of CO2
sequestration as the raw
materials are grown and can lead to reductions in the CO2
footprint of a product. Care must be exercised when calculating product carbon footprints (PCFs) and appropriate methodologies should be followed. Similarly, it is important to consider other complex factors when assessing sustainability of such biobased materials (e.g., land use change) to ensure that a positive effect in one area is not being cancelled out by a negative effect elsewhere.
Continuing efforts to minimise product carbon footprints can help reduce CO2
levels, however
extrinsic factors can save even more over the lifetime of a vehicle if a fluid can be more efficient or have a longer lifespan. Choosing a lubricant which has a low product carbon footprint, but which is inefficient in use may well have a negative effect overall. In order to evaluate which of the lubricants is the best choice overall both the intrinsic and the extrinsic benefits must be evaluated.
In this paper, the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of both petrochemical and highly biobased formulations have been tested. Base fluids for EV transmission oils have been evaluated using a suite of tribological tests. Fully formulated EV transmission oils have also been considered. Additionally, an ester whose structure
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