Additives & labeling agents

Additives are oil-soluble additives that are added to fuels, combustibles and lubricants in order to change or improve their properties. Labeling agents are colorants that are added to certain mineral oil products in order to label them for legal and tax reasons.

Definition of additives
Additives are chemical substances that are integrated into fuels, combustibles and lubricants in order to optimize certain properties or suppress undesirable characteristics. Labeling agents, also known as colorants, are added to differentiate petroleum products, especially to make fiscal differences visible.

Background / Origin
Additives have been developed to improve the physical and chemical properties of fuels, combustibles and lubricants. The use of these additives is a response to the demands of modern engine technology, which requires optimized performance and lower emissions. In fuels, for example, additives reduce deposits in the engine and lower pollutant emissions.

Labeling agents, on the other hand, have their origins in the legal requirements to combat tax evasion. In Germany, where EL heating oil is taxed at a lower rate than diesel fuel, dyes are used to avoid confusion. The legally required labeling is carried out using special dyes, such as the Euromarker, which make it easy to identify the products.

Both types of substances, additives and labeling agents, are therefore essential components of the energy supply and fuel market and contribute to improving safety and efficiency.

Properties
Additives usually consist of a combination of chemicals that fulfill specific functions:

- Fuels: additives improve oxidation stability, ignition readiness and knock resistance. They prevent deposits, keep the engine intake system clean and reduce corrosion.

- Lubricants: These consist of base oils and additives to improve friction properties. Examples include wear reducers, anti-seizure additives and viscosity index improvers.

- Fuels: Additives such as combustion improvers and flow improvers increase the efficiency of heating oil systems. They stabilize fuels and reduce emissions.

The differences in quality between various additives depend on their chemical composition and the specific applications.

Application and importance in the market
The use of additives is important in many areas of energy supply. In fuels, they are used to optimize the performance of engines and reduce emissions. In industry, additives are used in lubricants, where they improve important physical properties, including cooling lubricants and lubricating greases.

Labeling agents play a role in the tax sector in particular, as they enable a clear separation between different mineral oil products. The coloring of fuels, such as aviation fuel, meets additional safety requirements.

International differences can be seen in the legal regulations on the use of labeling agents, which can vary in different countries.

Differentiation from similar terms
- Additives: Additives to improve specific properties of fuels, lubricants and combustibles.
- Labeling agents: Dyes used for the legal identification of petroleum products, in particular to prevent tax evasion.

Summary
Additives and tracers are crucial for the optimization of fuels and lubricants as well as for the legal classification of petroleum products. Additives improve physical and chemical properties and offer opportunities to increase efficiency, both in fuels and lubricants. Labeling agents, on the other hand, guarantee legal differentiation between similar products and help in the fight against tax evasion.