Alkyl naphthalene (AN) base oil can produce high-end lubricants and has great market potential in the future.

Alkyl naphthalene (AN) is a compound containing an alkyl group and a naphthalene ring. It is an aromatic hydrocarbon. It is made from chlorinated paraffin and naphthalene as raw materials and condensation under the action of a catalyst. The pure product appears as a yellow liquid. Alkyl naphthalene base oil belongs to Class V base oil and has very stable properties. It is mainly used to make various types of synthetic lubricants and can also be used as fuel additives.

Base oil includes five categories of products: I, II, III, IV, and V. Among them, Group IV base oil and Group V base oil are synthetic base oils. Compared with mineral base oils, synthetic base oils have better overall performance, and the synthetic lubricants produced can better meet the needs of high-end markets. Globally, the proportion of synthetic base oil applications is low due to high prices, but as high-end demand continues to rise, its application proportion is rising.

According to the “China Alkyl Naphthalene (AN) Base Oil Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report 2023-2028” released by the Industrial Research Center shows that alkyl naphthalene base oil, as a Class V base oil, has the characteristics of high thermal stability, high hydrolytic stability, excellent solubility, strong dispersion ability, strong anti-emulsification, and good compatibility, and is consistent with the Class V base oil. Compared with Group IV base oil PAO (poly alpha olefin), it has better mechanical stability, wear resistance, high temperature protection and other properties, and the thickener dosage is lower.

Alkyl naphthalene base oil is a compatible base oil that can be used in conjunction with other types of base oils. The blending of alkyl naphthalene base oil and PAO/mPAO base oil has excellent synergistic effects. The thermal stability, wear resistance, lubricity, service life and other properties of the product are further improved, and a new generation of high-performance lubricants can be manufactured. It can be seen that alkyl naphthalene base oil has huge development potential in the field of high-end lubricant manufacturing.

Alkyl naphthalene base oil can be used to prepare engine oil, compressor oil, hydraulic oil, gear oil, etc., and is widely used in industrial machinery, transportation machinery and other fields. The scale of my country’s industry continues to expand, the number of automobiles continues to rise, and the market demand for lubricants continues to grow. From 2017 to 2022, my country’s lubricant market will have a compound annual growth rate of 7.1%, and the market size will reach 116.3 billion yuan in 2022. With the continuous upgrading of industrial technology and equipment and the continuous improvement of automobile emission standards, my country’s market has a stronger demand for synthetic lubricants with better comprehensive performance, and alkyl naphthalene base oils have broad market prospects.

Industry analysts said that in the global market, ExxonMobil of the United States is the most representative alkyl naphthalene. Base oil manufacturer, the trade name is “Synesstic”; in the Chinese market, Shanghai Nake Lubrication Technology Co., Ltd. is the most representative alkyl naphthalene base oil manufacturer, the trade name is “SynNaph”. At this stage, there are only a few alkyl naphthalene base oil manufacturers globally and the market competition pattern is relatively stable. In the future, as the demand for lubricants becomes high-end, the application proportion of alkyl naphthalene base oil is expected to continue to increase, and the number of companies entering the market will gradually increase. increase.