Abstract: Synthetic poly-Alpha-olefin (PAO) base oil is fully synthetic lube base oil. With excellent performance and wide applications, it is separately classified by API as Group IV base oil. Low-viscosity PAO base oil accounts for about 80% of the PAO market. The production of low-viscosity PAO base oil mainly uses BF3 catalyst and proton donor (HA) cocatalyst, and the reaction is triggered by BF3?HA, a complex of BF3 and HA. This paper introduces the mechanisms of this complexation reaction and α-olefin oligomerization reaction, based on which a BF3?HA complex preparation technology is developed. The industrial application shows that the development of this technology is successful, laying foundation for PAO production.

Key words: synthetic oil, PAO, catalyst