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Esters  

To help formulators meet increasing demand for high lubricant performance and long product life, we offer a full line of Esterex™ esters, which includes adipate, neopolyol, phthalate and trimellitate esters. Esterex esters are well suited for a wide range of applications, including automotive, textile, industrial, aviation, turbine and compressor lubricants.

Esterex esters can be used as a stand-alone base stock or in combination with other fluids. Their compatibility with polyalphaolefin (PAO) and other base stocks available from ExxonMobil Chemical offers another solution for your formulation challenges. Most Esterex esters are inherently biodegradable,* making them an appropriate choice for applications in which a lubricant is in contact with the environment.

Key benefits

  • Excellent thermal and oxidative stability icon

    Thermal and oxidative stability for long drain intervals

  • Optical properties icon

    Lubricity and cleanliness for durability in tough applications

  • Enhanced solvency icon

    Enhanced solvency for deposit prevention and seal swell

  • biodegradable option icon

    Readily or inherently biodegradable options*

*Biodegradability is defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as meeting specific biodegradation criteria under defined testing conditions. For more information on the specific product and testing information for our various grades of Esterex materials that have all been tested to OECD 301F and 301B, click here.

Product data

  • ExxonMobil Chemical Page

    Esterex™ esters

    Discover technical details and specifications for Esterex product grades.

    View data sheets
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Proven performance

Ester solvency

To measure the solvency advantages of using Esterex esters in lubricant formulations, we used ASTM D611 (Standard Test Methods for Aniline Point and Mixed Aniline Point of Petroleum Products and Hydrocarbon Solvents). Compared to a 6 cSt and a 10 cSt PAO base stock, 5 cSt polyol and adipate esters demonstrate increased solvency.

Aniline Point by ester and PAO type.

Enhanced lubricity

Using ASTM D6079, Standard Test Method for Evaluating Lubricity of Diesel Fuels by the High-Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR), we evaluated the impact of Esterex esters on reducing friction to enhance wear protection. By adding 20% polyol ester to a 2 cSt and 4 cSt PAO base stocks, the ester blends demonstrated increased performance.

Friction coefficient by PAO type

Thermal-oxidative stability comparison

In this chart, we see a comparison between four types of esters, measuring thermal-oxidative stability.

Panel coker rating by ester type.

Data for chart republished with permission of CRC Press LLC, from Synthetic Lubricants and High Performance Functional Fluids, by Leslie R. Rudnick, second edition, 1999; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.

Biodegradability

This chart presents the results of two tests that measure biodegradability. It includes six types of esters along with mineral oil.

OECD and CEC by ester type.

Source: Synthetic Lubricants and High-Performance Functional Fluids, 2nd Ed. L.R. Rudnick, R. L. Shubkin, Ed. Chapter 3, P 80. Additionally, mineral oil data from Biodegradation Test Methods and PAOs report, Lawrence K. Low, EMBSI, August 2005.

Applications

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    • ExxonMobil Chemical Library icon

      Esterex esters™ biodegradability data

      Here you’ll find data assessing the biodegradability of Esterex esters.

      Read more
    • ExxonMobil Chemical Library icon

      Synthetic lubricant base stocks formulation guide

      This convenient reference guide can provide a head start in helping you make the best choice of base stocks for a variety of lubricant applications.

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