Executive Summary
Many readers report a growing demand for renewable and biodegradable additives, driven by consumer sentiment and, most significantly, regulatory demands. Other readers note little to no change, citing price and performance concerns as the main limitations of adopting these additives. When it comes to their top three qualities in an additive, readers responded with a wide range of performance and market characteristics, with extreme pressure, antiwear and oxidative stability among the most in-demand properties. Cost and availability are also important features.
Q.1. How is the market changing related to renewable and biodegradable additives?

Slowly, limited by the challenge of performance versus green.

We have seen trends in some markets toward more biofriendly products.

More customers want to be associated with helping the planet by using these new additives.

There is more demand for them but with the stipulation that the costs are in line with available additives.

Renewable and biodegradable additives are used more.

As the drive for a more sustainable future continues, we need to have additive systems that are capable of the performance of traditional systems but are also able to contribute to the story for environmental friendliness. This can come from low carbon footprints and/or biodegradability.

Many additive suppliers are now offering biolubricant additives. Usually components like antiwear (AW), antioxidant (AO), extreme pressure (EP) additives are more common offerings. Some majors also are offering packages mainly for industrial lubricants. We see that it’s becoming more and more popular.

Formulators are looking for more renewable and biodegradable additives.

Fiscal reality and common sense are returning to the science of lubrication.
 
The final implementation of such additives on industrial machines is slow.

The market for renewable and biodegradable additives is rapidly expanding, driven by stricter environmental regulations and growing demand for sustainable products. Their use is becoming increasingly common in sectors such as packaging, automotive and consumer goods.
Little change.

All talk but no substantive move. Performance and cost are the drivers of adoption. Renewable is a “nice to have.” Biodegradable is based on application requirements.

Big interest in the market, but the price is the limitation. Difficult without regulatory obligation.

I’m not seeing a lot of change in the market for renewables. Where you see change is in very specific sectors, where regulations are driving the change, such are marine lubes.

Those who invested—sometimes heavily—in “green” alternatives are finding that growth has been nowhere near as great as anticipated. There are several factors, the first of which is that a substantial part of the market is not willing to pay the higher cost. But there is also a growing realization that having a biosourced or biodegradable product may not give the best whole life return. Biobased products may compromise ability to re-refine a used product, and if the lifetime is shorter than, say, mineral-based products, the whole life impact (emissions, disposal, etc.) may be greater.

Little has changed as renewable additives have the same disadvantages and offer no performance improvements. Biodegradable synthetic additives have always been more effective than non-biodegradable synthetics.

The market pushes for “biodegradable/biofriendly” without consideration for parameters needed for equipment protection. In some cases test methods have to be altered to accommodate for lubricant tendency to “biodegrade” (equivalent to “decompose”). For example, the ASTM D4310 oxidation test has to be run without water for biobased fluids versus mineral oil-based fluids. The cost of an additive is not an issue—it is the cost of a base fluid that plays a higher role in the cost of a finished lubricant.

I see growing interest in renewable or biodegradable additives, but so far customers are not demanding renewable/biodegradable lubricants for the majority of applications. Therefore, I expect slow growth in terms of these being a necessity for the major market.

From my standpoint, renewable and biodegradable additives play an important role in the automotive sector with lightweighting of vehicles. Their natural polar characteristics are essential for forming and machining of aluminum. While everyone talks about sustainability efforts, it comes down to making parts cost effectively so the added performance bonus will help pull these types of additives into the market.

Higher demand for biodegradable due to regulation changes and general acceptance.

Not seeing that much change in these types of additives. Sometimes it is better to avoid this label since the customers may think they have less performance, even when this is not necessarily the case.

Less for biodegradable but more so less hazardous labeling.

Renewable and biodegradable additives are good and effective for sustainable performance, and which add the market positive response.

Yes, absolutely—the additives market is definitely changing, as the shift toward renewable and biodegradable additives has become inevitable. This transformation is driven by increasingly stringent global standards, which continue to push the industry in that direction. As a result, formulations have already begun to adapt, and this trend will certainly continue.

My opinion is that most consumers would prefer lubricants formulated with renewable/biodegradable components if they performed well and didn’t cost much more than traditional products.

Not much. The market keeps the target setting in terms of price and performance.

More emphasis on the renewable additives.

Lots of interest—probably lower than the base oils, as that is the lowest hanging fruit, but use of sustainability certification schemes are adding simplicity to the introduction of renewable materials. Biodegradable probably less in “mainstream” applications, exceptions in niche markets, e.g., environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs).

The market is growing.
 
There has been mentions of renewable and biodegradable additives, but due to the South African market and the cost thereof, the South African market does not seem to want to accept it easily at this point in time. Renewable products are sold without mention and are not at the premium standard. This does get some market penetration for a limited time until the user finds out or starts having issues, because of the renewable process not being of the highest standards, I would assume.

Growing.

These additives are usually expensive, have poor performance and require a lot of energy to produce, so it seems somewhat less impressive.

Customers want more biodegradable grease. So we find biodegradable additives.
 
There are initiatives but the market seems to adapt slower than expected.

Slowly. Consumers are still not prepared to pay the higher costs associated with renewable and biodegradable additives. Then there is the functional/performance compared to traditional additives.
 
There hasn’t been much change in Japan, and it seems they are responding little by little. While larger companies in the U.S. are still considering it, there has been little interest from local manufacturers. In Europe, interest remains high.

The market for renewable and biodegradable additives is undergoing significant transformation due to tightening regulations, increasing environmental awareness and shifting industry preferences. 

Don’t see any appreciable change.

The new era is focused upon such additives.

Asian markets are not concerned about this requirement.

A lot of work is performed by the machine engine limiting new to old, in this manner market parameters will also be varied and fitted.

Is the cost of renewable and biodegradable additives prohibiting their acceptance in formulations?
Yes 62%
No 38%
Based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers.

Sustainability is more and more important for customers.

The market is focusing more on the use of sustainable, renewable, biodegradable base oils and base oils for dissolving additives rather than on additives themselves. When looking directly at additives, the main emphasis is on ester compounds or substances based on fatty acids.

I don’t see much of a change, but rather an adaptation to the new regulations.

I see this trend to be within an uncertainty framework as biodegradables are still in the very start.

I think more important is the additive being optimized for renewable fuels.

Very slowly.

The environment protection regulations promote the development and applications of renewable and biodegradable additives. However, the use of these new additives increases slowly.
 
Renewable and biodegradable additives are often introduced as alternatives to the existing additives, but stability issues (e.g., resistance against oxidation) hinder their introduction. So the market is changing more slowly toward renewable and biodegradable additives than expected.

Recently, OEMs demand new lubricant development using biodegradable base oil, not yet for biodegradable additives.

Market and goals remain of high importance. Focus is of high importance.

I see little happening except for products where renewable and/or biodegradable lubricants are required. The applications are mainly in hydraulic equipment and gearboxes (industrial as well as automotive), which have relatively low treat rates, hence as long as these are not poisonous they have limited effect on the biodegradability of the lubricant.

The demand for biodegradable additives based on renewable raw materials is growing; however most customers are not willing to pay a significantly higher price when compared to conventional additives.

There is a relatively high level of interest. The topic has a certain significance in research. However, I do not yet see the products on the market.



Q.2. What would be your top three properties of an ideal multifunctional additive?

No significant negatives to performance with the inclusion of the additive. Not stupidly expensive versus concentration required. Reliable supply, ideally from multiple sources.

AW, viscosity index improver, AO.

An additive which would provide hydraulic oil, compressor oil and gear oil features all in one and in bioway would be great.

1.) Corrosion resistance, 2.) lubricity and 3.) bioresistance.

The performance-to-cost-of-development relationship has to be considered. Supply-line realities must be fully considered. Compatibility and ease of application.

Wear reduction, deal with heat and improved efficiency.

1.) Individual functions announced well respected, 2.) reliable source and 3.) stable properties over batches.

An ideal multifunctional additive should combine environmental friendliness, technical performance and broad compatibility. First, it should be biodegradable or derived from renewable sources to support sustainability goals and minimize ecological impact. Second, it must offer multiple functional benefits, such as UV protection, flame retardancy or mechanical reinforcement within a single formulation, reducing the need for separate additives. Lastly, the additive should be compatible with various polymer matrices and processing methods, ensuring it can be seamlessly integrated into different manufacturing applications without compromising material quality or recyclability.

Metal protection, fluid protection, energy saving.

Antioxidation, AW, viscosity improver.

Performance, cost, stability of supply.

Customers are reluctant to have a single supplier for multifunctional products. The same price in the final formulation for improved performance.

Wear, rust and oxidation protection.

Excellent EP, AW properties and oxidative stability.

1.) Providing long life—oil stability, 2.) providing performance parameters required by application/equipment and 3.) non-toxic.

1.) Desire combined rust and AW performance, 2.) thermally stable, limiting deposit formation and 3.) does not adversely affect water separability.

Provides EP performance, lubricity performance and some in-process corrosion protection. I work in the forming world so metal flow through tools and dies is essential. Providing performance throughout the entire progression of progressive style presses without reapplication. Increasing water-based product for cooling properties as well as decreasing overall usage is something our customers are constantly asking for.

Diversity in our product portfolio. Available in a reasonable lead time. Domestically produced.

1.) To be able to impart multiple beneficial properties, 2.) to have a non-hazardous safety data sheet (SDS) and 3) to be cost effective to include in a formulation.

Depends on application but reasonable pricing compared to conventual additives with same or better performance.

1) Great performance attributes, 2.) environmental friendly and 3.) pricing.

Non-phenolic oxidation inhibitor(s), ashless AW and non-staining EP.

1.) Heat resistant, 2.) easy solvent and 3.) reduced the friction.

Delivers equal or better performance than products it replaced. Equal or lower in cost to treat. Sustainable with equal or lower carbon footprint.

Biodegradability, repeatability of properties or their minimal dispersion and availability affecting price.

Are multifunctional additives more desirable than high performing individual additives?
Yes 50%
No 50%
Based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers.

AW, antioxidant, anti-corrosion.

1.) Oxidation and thermal stability, 2.) biodegradability at the same functionality and 3.) corrosion inhibition.

It has to do the job.

Low friction, durable, cost effective.

AW, viscosity modifier, EP.

Activity (to enable low treat rate), lack of interaction with other additives (no issues in combination with other materials) and performance (in any chosen performance area).

AW, load carrying, antioxidancy.

AW, antioxidant, corrosion inhibition.

Anti-aging, corrosion prevention and AW.

AW, detergency, friction modification.

Antioxidant, friction modifier, solubility.

Wear, EP, antioxidation.

Antioxidation, lubricity, detergency.

Heat stability, synergy with other additives and friction reduction.
 
High weld load, wear resistance, corrosion inhibitor.

Synergistic performance across multiple functions; broad compatibility and stability; environmental and regulatory compliance.

Dispersancy, oxidation inhibition and antiwear properties.

Thermal stability, sustainability, non-toxicity.

Cost effective, multiple certifications, compatibility.

1.) Oiliness, 2.) lubricity and parameters and 3.) viscosity.

No labeling, EP performance, low viscosity, high flash point.

AO, AW/EP-additive, detergent.

Anti-corrosion, good lubricity and compatibility with different base oils, increasing the longevity of the lubricant formulation.

Corrosion inhibition, oxidation inhibition, AW properties.

There is no absolute necessity for multifunctional additives as long as the proposed monofunctional additives can do the job together.

1) Miscibility, 2) viscosity and 3) oxidation.

AW including secondary AO, copper corrosion including secondary AO.

Wear, friction reduction and now probably corrosion resistance due to the electrification.

1.) Do what you are meant to do. 2.) Do no harm. 3.) Don’t decompose.

Thermal oxidative stability, reduced friction and wear properties and rust inhibition.

Real multifunctionality (some “multifunctional” additives are not really multifunctional), no compromise regarding their properties, stability.

ZDDP with AO and AW. Phosphorus additive with AW and low friction. Polymer additive with viscosity improver and fatigue life.

Environmentally friendly, biodegradable, easy to use.

AW/EP, AO, (copper/steel) corrosion protection.

AW, EP and AO properties.

1.) Really multifunctional and well balanced, 2.) no labeling requirement, and 3.) low dosing rate.

Editor’s Note: Sounding Board is based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers. Views expressed are those of the respondents and do not reflect the opinions of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. STLE does not vouch for the technical accuracy of opinions expressed in Sounding Board, nor does inclusion of a comment represent an endorsement of the technology by STLE.