Polyalphaolefin

Polyalphaolefin (PAO) is a collective term for synthetic hydrocarbon oils that are obtained from ethylene by means of polymerisation. In this process, the ethylene is processed into alphaolefins, of which the C₁₀ and C_8/12 parts are converted into a mixture of different oligomers on catalysts. Fractional distillation separates the crude oil into fractions with the required viscosities. In this way, high-quality base oils with a viscosity index between 120 and 140 can be created.

Artificially produced PAOs can define specific lubricating properties for special conditions. The oils consist of long-chain and consistently robust hydrocarbon compounds. This makes the lubricants, for example, very temperature-stable, creep-resistant and durable. Polyalphaolefins are used in lubricants that have to meet the highest requirements, e.g., in applications with large temperature fluctuations. This is why they are added to modern engine oils for cars, among other things. However, they are also used for many other problems when mineral oils cannot fulfil the desired lubricating properties.