conditions, some of the same attributes that once made these systems effective are becoming sources of operational friction.


Source: World Steel Association 2017, NACE International 2016.


At the same time, the raw material environment is changing. Refinery output profiles have shifted, with Group II base oils now leading global supply as Group I and naphthenic production continues to decline. For formulators, this has practical implications. Additive technologies originally developed for more polar Group I and naphthenic base stocks can exhibit solubility and stability challenges in the lower-polarity environments of Group II and Group III oils. In many cases, formulations that performed reliably for decades now require reformulation simply to maintain shelf stability and consistent in-use performance.


Environmental regulation adds further complexity. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with traditional solvent systems remain a major focus of industrial emissions controls, and regulatory bodies across key markets continue to tighten exposure limits and solvent usage requirements. The move toward higher-flash, lower-VOC diluents is increasingly unavoidable for formulators looking to future-proof their portfolios. However, many legacy additive systems were not designed with these solvent environments in mind, and performance or stability can suffer when diluent chemistry changes.


Taken together, these trends point toward a clear conclusion: the industry is moving beyond incremental optimisation and toward fundamentally different additive approaches for rust prevention.


Where traditional wax-based technologies fall short Wax-based rust-preventive systems have played a central role in metal protection for many years. Their film characteristics, handling behaviour and performance profiles are well understood, and they continue to perform reliably in many established applications. However, under current market


14 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.193 JUNE 2026


Conventional wax packages are typically solid at ambient temperatures and require dedicated heating equipment and extended pre-melt cycles before blending. The energy required to maintain these heating systems is significant, particularly at production scale. Heating also introduces additional safety and maintenance considerations, as handling hot materials increases spill risk and operational complexity. For organisations working to reduce energy intensity and improve sustainability metrics, these factors are becoming harder to justify.


Raw-material security is another growing concern, especially where geopolitics is an influence. As refinery configurations continue to shift away from crude slates that historically yielded consistent petroleum wax streams, long-term availability and quality uniformity are less predictable than in the past. Formulations that rely on a narrow set of petroleum feedstocks may therefore face increasing supply chain risk, and any effort to de-link from these feedstocks can be beneficial to business supply stability.


Finally, formulation flexibility has narrowed. As the industry transitions toward Group II base oils and higher-flash, lower-VOC solvents, traditional wax systems can exhibit reduced solubility or stability, resulting in haze, separation or variability in performance.


What emerging additive chemistries can offer One emerging response to these converging pressures is the development of synthetic, calcium-based thin-film rust-preventive additives designed to operate effectively across modern base-stock and solvent systems. Rather than replicating wax chemistry, these approaches offer an alternative pathway to achieving durable corrosion protection while addressing operational and sustainability challenges.


Laboratory testing conducted in accordance with ASTM B117 salt spray methodology has shown that leading additives in this category can deliver over 100 hours of corrosion resistance at commercially viable treat rates. Comparative testing has indicated performance improvements of more than 45% versus established benchmark technologies in D60 solvent


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