Ciba’s Recommendation

to Formulate
Brake Fluids

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Ciba’s Recommendation
Brake Fluid:
• Amine - O 0.80 % w/w
• Sarkosyl - O 0.20 % w/w
• Irganox L-135 0.15 % w/w
• Irganox L-57 0.15 % w/w
• Irgamet 39 0.05 % w/w
• PAG base fluid Balance

• Surpasses all the requirements of DOT-3, DOT-4

and SAE J-1703 specifications

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Components

Ciba’s product:
• Amine-O: Corrosion inhibitor (imidazoline
derivative)

N N R
2

R
1

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Components Cont’n.

Ciba’s product:
• Sarkosyl-O: Corrosion inhibitor (N-acyl
sarcosine)

O
R C N CH COOH
2
CH
3

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Components Cont’n.

Ciba´s product:
• Irganox L-135: High molecular weight phenolic
antioxidant.

O
||
HO CH2 -CH2 -C-O-R

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Components Cont’n.

Ciba’s product:
• Irganox L-57: Aminic antioxidant (Octylated /
Butylated diphenylamine)

R R'
N
H

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Components Cont’n.

Ciba’s product:
• Irgamet 39: Metal deactivator (Tolutriazole
derivative)
N
R N

N
CH NR'
2 2

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Specifications

• SAE J-1703 (Society of Automotive Engineers)

covers motor vehicle brake fluids of the non-
petroleum type for use in the braking system of
any motor vehicle such as car, truck, bus, or
trailer.

• This standard is the basis for all other

specifications for brake fluids.

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Specifications Cont’n.

• The American Department of Transit (DOT) has issued

a classification of brake fluid qualities as a function of
their boiling point as follows:

DOT-3 DOT-4 DOT-5

Dry boiling point 401° F 446° F 500° F
Wet boiling point 284° F 311° F 356° F

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Specifications Cont’n.

DOT-3 Specification:
• It is designed for conventional synthetic fluids
based on glycol ethers. This specification has
long been used in most cars and light trucks.

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Specifications Cont’n.

DOT-4 Specification:
• It is designed for new types of fluids not based
on conventional synthetic fluids, but
compatible and completely miscible with them
in all proportions.
• This is the specification most widely used for
cars and trucks.

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
Specifications Cont’n.
DOT-5 Specification:
• It is designed for the “premium silicone fluid”.
The silicone will not absorb water, which means it
will never become moisture contaminated with
age.
• Silicone's inability to disperse "slugs" of moisture
that may be trapped or accumulate in the brake
system may result in localized corrosion.
• Silicone brake fluid also contains about three
times as much dissolved air as glycol based fluids
(15 % vs 5 %), which makes it unsuitable for
vehicles with anti-lock brakes.
Process and Lubricant Additives
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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data
Test Results SAE J-1703
Specification
1. Equilibrium Reflux Boiling 486° F 446° F
Point (ERBP)
2. Wet Boling Point 315° F 311° F
3. Kinematic Viscosity
at -40° C 946 cSt 1,800 cSt maximum
at 100° C 2 cSt 1.5 cSt minimum
4. pH value 10 7 - 11
5. Fluid Stability
a) High Temperature Stability
Change in ERBP - 1.0° C +/- 3.0° C maximum
b) Chemical Stability
Change in ERBP - 1.0° C +/- 3.0° C maximum

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data
T est R e s u lt s S A E J-1 7 0 3
S p e c if ic a t io n
6 . C o r r o s io n P r o t e c t io n
a ) W e ig h t C h a n g e ( m g / c m 2 )
T in n e d I r o n 0 .0 0 9 0 .2 m a x im um
S te e l 0 .0 0 2 0 .2 m a x im um
A lu m in u m 0 .0 0 9 0 .1 m a x im um
C a s t Iro n 0 .0 1 7 0 .2 m a x im um
B ra ss 0 .0 1 8 0 .4 m a x im um
Copper 0 .0 1 0 0 .4 m a x im um
Z in c 0 .0 1 2 0 .4 m a x im um

b ) P it t in g / R o u g h e n e s
T in n e d I r o n N il N il
S te e l N il N il
A lu m in u m N il N il
C a s t Iro n N il N il
B ra ss N il N il
Copper N il N il
Z in c N il N il

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data
T est R e s u lts S A E J-1 7 0 3
S p e c ific a tio n
7 . F lu id ity a n d A p p e a ra n c e a t
L o w T e m p e ra tu re s
A t -4 0 ° C
a ) A ir b u b le tra v e l t im e 3 s 1 0 s m a x im u m
b ) S tra t ific a tio n N il N il
c ) S e d im e n ta tio n N il N il
d ) C ry s t a lliz a t io n N il N il
e ) U n ifo rm it y , a p p e a ra n c e L ik e th e o rig in a l L ik e th e o rig in a l
a n d c la rit y p ro d u c t a t 2 3 p ro d u c t a t 2 3
+/- 5° C +/- 5° C
At - 50° C
a ) A ir b u b le tra v e l t im e 15 s 3 5 s m a x im u m
b ) S tra t ific a tio n N il N il
c ) S e d im e n ta tio n N il N il
d )C ry s ta lliz a tio n N il N il
e ) U n ifo rm it y , a p p e a ra n c e L ik e th e o rig in a l L ik e th e o rig in a l
a n d c la rit y p ro d u c t a t 2 3 p ro d u c t a t 2 3
+/- 5° C +/- 5° C
Process and Lubricant Additives
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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data
Test Results SAE J-1703
Specification
8. Evaporation
a) Weight loss 70 % 80 % maximum
b) Gritty or abrasive residue Nil Nil
c) Pour point of residue - 10° C Below - 5° C
9. Water Tolerance
At -40° C
a) Air buble travel time 4s 10 s maximum
b) Black contrast lines Discernible Discernible
c) Stratification Nil Nil
d) Sedimentation Nil Nil

At 60° C
a) Stratification Nil Nil
b) Sedimentation Nil 0.05 % volume max.
Process and Lubricant Additives
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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data

Test Results SAE J-1703

Specification
10. Compatibility
At -40° C
a) Black contrast lines Discernible Discernible
b) Stratification Nil Nil
c) Sedimentation Nil Nil

At 60° C
a) Stratification Nil Nil
b) Sedimentation Nil 0.05 % volume max.

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data
Test Results SAE J-1703
Specification
11. Resistance to Oxidation
a) Weight change (mg/cm2)
Aluminum strip 0.004 0.05 maximum
Cast Iron strip 0.192 0.30 maximum

b) Pitting / Roughenes
Aluminum strip Nil Nil
Cast Iron strip Nil Nil

c) Gum formation Nil Traces maximum

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids
 Brake Fluids
SAE J-1703 Specification
Performance data
Test Results SAE J-1703
Specification
12. Effect on Rubber
70 h at 70° C
a) Hardness increase Nil Nil
b) Hardness decrease 3 points 10 points maximum
c) Disintegration Nil Nil
d) Increase in the diameter of 0.4 mm 0.15 - 1.4 mm
the base of the cups

70 h at 120° C
a) Hardness increase Nil Nil
b) Hardness decrease 5 points 15 points maximum
c) Disintegration Nil Nil
d) Increase in the diameter of 0.6 mm 0.15 - 1.4 mm
the base of the cups

Process and Lubricant Additives

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Brake Fluids