"Bernd D. Ratsch" <bernd@dodgetrucks.org> wrote:
> Amsoil Quote:
> "PAO composition is a series of chemical processes that are designed to
> provide superior lubrication performance over a wide temperature operating
> range. They are synthetic hydrocarbons manufactured by a two-step process
> from linear alpha-olefins produced from ethylene.
> The first step in the synthesis is an oligomerization reaction, essentially
> polymerization, with boron trifluoride in combination with a protic
> co-catalyst. They are manufactured via Ziegler-Natta catalysts; usually
> alkylaluminum compounds in conjunction with organic halides."
> Hmmmm..."Organic Halides" - guess what - found in CRUDE OIL. ;)
First of all, I am pretty sure the reference to "Organic Halides"
in the above paragraph is talking about the catalyst, not the
reactant. A Ziegler-Natta catalyst contains organometallic compounds
(a compound created via a bond between a metal and carbon). Are there
any chemists in the house who can confirm that?
Secondly, group 4 base stock is created using ethylene gas, not
crude oil. Ethylene gas is naturally occurring, it is released by
ripening fruit, though it can be artificially synthesized as well,
from natural gas, ethanol, and yes, crude oil. Although ethylene gas
can be created using crude oil, this is more akin to a distillation
process, as opposed to a refining process. Group 1 through 3 base
stock is refined from crude. The crude oil itself is what is used as
the base stock, with various levels of refining. Group 4 however, is
CHEMICALLY created. It is not a refined version of the crude oil.
Crude oil's only role in creating the ethylene gas that is
subsequently used to create the group 4 base stock is to give up
carbon and hydrogen atoms which are combined as C2H4 to create
ethylene gas. A metallic catylist helps to convert the ethylene gas
into the group 4 base stock. Crude oil does not have to be used to
create the ethylene gas. They could throw a bunch of ripening fruit
in a closed room and suck the gas it out of there if they wanted to.
The fact that they might get the carbon and hydrogen they need from
crude oil is a coincidence; it does NOT mean that group 4 base stock
is a petroleum product.
Think of it this way... Lets say you want a nice, refreshing glass
of water, but all you have at hand is a big ol' pile of cow manure.
You can squeeze some liquid out of that cow manure into a container
and run it through a series of filters and such to try to get rid of
most of the contaminants so that you are left with *mostly* water.
This is the basic idea behind converting crude oil into the group 1
through 3 base stock oils. Another way to get that glass of water
would be to extract hydrogen and oxygen atoms from the manure, perhaps
as H2 and O2 gasses, then take those hydrogen and oxygen atoms and
combine them in a lab in a 2:1 ratio to create H2O. This is pure
water, and it has absolutely no relationship to, or contaminants from
the cow manure from which its atoms happened to be obtained. This is
akin to how the group 4 base stock is created. Possibly from crude
oil, but not necessarily. Any supply of carbon and hydrogen atoms
will do.
--
-Jon-
.- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
| '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars |
`-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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