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Does cold weaken plastic?

chemceed.com - Formulating for Cold Weather - Plastic Formulation and Lubrication

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Cold weather can take a serious toll on even highly durable products. Plastics tend to crack when temperatures drop too low, and engines can seize if they don’t warm up quickly enough. Cold weather performance products are specifically formulated to resist this kind of damage. This typically requires additives that lower a material’s freezing point or reduce viscosity in order to maintain normal function when temperatures drop. At ChemCeed, we take performance seriously. We carry over 100 chemical agents and offer full support from R&D through production, making us the ideal partner for challenging cold weather formulations.

Cold Weather Performance Products

Precautions need to be taken early in the manufacturing process if a product is to be exposed to extreme temperatures. In the case of plastics and lubricants, thoughtful use of chemical additives can drastically increase performance down the line.

Cold Weather Performance Plasticizers

Plastics are highly susceptible to breaking when they become too cold. When a plastic reaches freezing temperatures, changes occur on a molecular level that make the material more brittle. Plasticizers can reduce this tendency by increasing a plastic material’s flexibility and elasticity. Plasticizer choice is key when considering cold temperature flexibility properties, as some plasticizers impart flexibility in the cold better than others. Plasticizers such as dioctyl sebacate (DOS) are known for cold temperature flexibility and are commonly used to treat various types of PVC, rubber, nitrocellulose, and resin. The exact choice of plasticizer depends heavily on the characteristics of the plastic material. If the plasticizer chosen isn’t compatible it’s possible that the material may not move or flex as well as intended.

Many industrial applications benefit from cold performance plasticizers:

Aerospace components , which are exposed to extreme temperatures during flight.

, which are exposed to extreme temperatures during flight. Cryogenic containers used in biotech and chemical engineering labs must contain substances without cracking at sub-zero temperatures. used in biotech and chemical engineering labs must contain substances without cracking at sub-zero temperatures. Construction materials in cold-weather environments. in cold-weather environments. Oil and gas rigs, which are often stationed in cold regions.

Cold Weather Performance Lubricants

Lubricants are critical to proper engine function because they reduce friction and wear between components. When the temperature gets too low, however, the lubricant can become viscous and won’t move properly through the engine. This can cause severe damage to the engine. To prevent engine seizing, lubricants often contain high proportions of additives that serve to maintain consistency even at low temperatures. In some cases, the same plasticizers can be formulated in lubricant grades and used in this setting. These additives are mixed with the oil lubricant itself, some amount of thickener, and other functional additives. Not all lubricants can use the same cold performance additive. The exact formulation needs to consider a number of important variables, such as compatibility with other lubricants and ability to maintain the pour point.

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Common applications for lubricant additives include:

Aerospace engines , which experience a large temperature range throughout their working life , which experience a large temperature range throughout their working life Ship engines , especially when used in arctic environments , especially when used in arctic environments Transportation and trucking to prevent engine failure when transporting products through different climates

Testing Methods for Low-Temperature Performance Products

When developing a cold weather formula, it’s critical to test the material’s performance under real world conditions. Failure to do so could lead to failure in the field. Chemical engineers have many choices for testing new formulations, with methods depending on the type of material and the eventual use case. Common tests include:

ASTM D3829

European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association CECL-105 and SAE J300

Scanning Brookfield Technique (SBT)

Mini-Rotar Viscometer (MRV)

Romaszewski Oil Bench Oxidation (ROBO) test

The procedures for these tests vary, but they typically include systematically lowering the temperature until failure is reached. During the test, other measures like pour point might also be established and verified.

Cold Weather Formulating and Chemceed

At ChemCeed, we understand the importance of selecting exactly the right additives for a given application. We stock over 100 varieties of lubricants, greases, and plasticizers, and our qualified team can help you select the best option for your product. This level of personalized support carries through the entire process—we’ll assist with R&D, blending, labeling, logistics, packaging, and delivery, with all of our services being adapted to your individual needs. We are happy to provide high-quality chemicals wherever they are needed, but our products primarily serve the following industries:

Lubrication and grease making

Metalworking fluids

Plastics

Agricultural

Construction

Cosmetics

Food and beverage

Inks and coatings

Paper

Pharmaceuticals

Water treatment

ChemCeed is a minority-owned, woman-owned operation that boasts ISO 9001:2015 quality management certification and proven experience as a full-service distributor. To learn more about our plasticizers and cold performance chemicals, contact us with your inquiry so we can connect you to the right product.

chemceed.com - Formulating for Cold Weather - Plastic Formulation and Lubrication