Methyl Hydrogen in Hydrocarbon Oils

A proposed ASTM International standard will be used to determine the total methyl hydrogen content of unedited base stock hydrocarbon oils (lubricating oils). The test method uses high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers on samples that are completely soluble in chloroform at ambient temperature. ASTM’s petroleum products, liquid fuels, and lubricants (D02) is developing the proposed standard.

“Methyl hydrogen content is a key compositional characteristic of hydrocarbon lubricating oils and can affect a variety of properties of the oil, including its boiling range, viscosity, low temperature flow, and oxidation stability,” says ASTM International member Frank DiSanzo, a distinguished research associate at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering.

According to Di Sanzo, the proposed standard (WK73554) will continuously improve the approach of using compositional chemistry for determining the effects on lubricating oils.