In a move to alleviate the impact of the tight C8/C10 fatty acid market situation, the chemical company Oxea has launched n-Pelargonic Acid HP (high purity). It is a special grade of its existing product n-Pelargonic Acid, also known as n-Nonanoic Acid, with a very high content of linear C9 acid. Both n-Pelargonic Acid and n-Pelargonic Acid HP are economical industrial alternatives to the native fatty acids Caprylic Acid (C8) and Capric Acid (C10). This makes it highly suitable, among other uses, as an intermediate for the manufacture of high-performance synthetic lubricant esters. n-Pelargonic Acid HP is already available in commercial quantities and Oxea will market the new product to the global lubricants manufacturer market.
In the past month we had noted significant customer interest for our existing n-Pelargonic Acid and therefore decided to add the high purity grade for our lubricant customers. It can be a viable alternative to native fatty acids with a C8 or C10 chain length and offers significant competitive advantages for formulators: It is more economical, since n-Pelargonic Acid HP is manufactured on purpose and not as a co-product of other natural fatty acid cuts. Therefore Oxea can assure reliable and flexible supply, says Oliver Borgmeier, Commercial Business Director of Carboxylic Acids at Oxea, adding, The market for native C8/C10 fatty acids will remain very short for the foreseeable future. Therefore it will be a value-adding initiative for our customers to reformulate their innovative lubricant solutions with our n-Pelargonic Acid HP.
Thanks to the shale gas economy Oxea can leverage the favorable raw material prices in the US. Based on octene, a linear alpha olefin (LAO) which is widely available in the US, Oxeas n-Pelargonic Acid is produced at its plant in Bay City, Texas.
n-Pelargonic Acid HP is a mono-carboxylic acid with a linear chain comprising of nine carbon atoms. In comparison to their even-numbered countertypes, esters made of n-C9 acid show advantages of lower pour-points, higher flash points and favorable viscosity indexes.
Tyler Housel, Vice President, Lexolube division, Inolex, told OEM/Lube News "In years past, C8-10 acids were preferred components of synthetic esters and particularly those used for bio-based lubricants. While the performance was slightly deficient in some ways, the cost was very attractive and C8-10 products were specified in many price sensitive applications. I understand that the prices of these short chain acids were kept low because they were a byproduct of coconut and palm kernel oil production. As demand increased, however, suppliers found the C8-10 acids in short supply and significantly raised the price. Since they were originally targeted for cost sensitive applications, the price increases have not been received well."
"Pelargonic acid certainly seems to be a viable substitute from a chemistry standpoint. Of course, it takes some time to change feedstocks, as it includes both customer qualification and regulatory considerations. Time will tell how successful pelargonic acid is as a substitute for C8-10. Ester producers such as Inolex will surely be interested in learning more about the benefits it can provide," said Housel.
Oxea is a global manufacturer of oxo intermediates and oxo derivatives, such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters, and amines. These products are used for the production of high-quality coatings, lubricants, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, flavorings and fragrances, printing inks and plastics. Oxea employs more than 1,400 people worldwide. Oxea is owned by Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C.
Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C. (OOC) is a commercial company wholly owned by the Government of Oman. It was established in 1996 to pursue investment opportunities in the wider energy sector both inside and outside Oman. The Company plays an important role in the Sultanate's efforts to diversify the economy and to promote domestic and foreign investments.
