VBASE® SynBoost™
A Co-Base Oil Built to Close the Group II to Group III Performance Gap
SynBoost™ is a co-base oil designed to upgrade the performance of API Group II base oils to performance levels associated with API Group III base oils.
Given constrained Group III base oil availability amid global supply disruptions, formulators are increasingly reliant on Group II base oils, which are more available but fail to match Group III's performance. Using SynBoost™ as a co-base oil, formulators can boost formulations to optimize performance and expand sourcing flexibility without compromising finished lubricant quality.
SynBoost™ Properties
Formulating with SynBoost
Formulating with SynBoost™can increase viscosity index. SynBoost gives formulators VI lift without excessive thickening of the base blend, for efficient treat rates and predictable blending behavior. The table below demonstrates VI lift capabilities of SynBoost in a Group II 4cSt product.
Cross-Group Versatility. Viscometric and wear benefits extend beyond Group II, with improvements also observed in Group III and Group IV base stocks, making SynBoost a flexible tool across a formulator's base oil portfolio.
Formulation Advantages
Low-Temperature Flow
Scanning Brookfield viscometry highlights the reduction in low-temperature flow of the SynBoost-Enhanced Group II to mimic that of the Group III base stock.
Wear Protection
Four-ball wear testing (ASTM D4172) shows reduced wear scars across Group II, Group III, and Group IV base stocks, with the largest gain seen in Group II. The improvement is attributed to increased film thickness together with the polar character of the SynBoost molecular structure, which supports surface adsorption and reduced friction.
Oxidation Stability
SynBoost™ helps maintain oxidative stability in finished lubricants, as measured by RPVOT. This table compares RPVOT for a Group II ISO 220 industrial gear oil with and without 10 wt% SynBoost™, alongside a Group III benchmark.
With the additive package held constant across all three, the RPVOT lift is attributable to SynBoost.
Sales and Support
Evaluate SynBoost in Your Formulation.
Our technical team has completed formulation and compatibility testing across multiple commercial additive packages, and we're ready to support customer-specific validation.
Contact us at synboost@vbaseoil.com or complete the form at right to discuss base oil compatibility and treat rate guidance for your specific application. Sample quantities are available for formulation trials.
