Scientists from the Russian State University of Oil and Gas (National Research University named after I.M. Gubkin) have successfully developed an automatic transmission fluid with a service life twice that of similar foreign products. It can maintain the necessary viscosity, anti-wear performance, and high thermal-oxidative stability over a mileage of 150,000 to 200,000 kilometers, while most vehicle models recommend changing the transmission fluid every 60,000 to 70,000 kilometers.
The automatic transmission fluid (ATF) market has evolved alongside improvements in automatic transmissions. With the widespread adoption of automatic transmissions in the 1940s, manufacturers began to recognize the need for specialized lubricants. In 1949, General Motors introduced the world's first mass-produced transmission oil, with sperm whale oil as the only additive to reduce friction between transmission components. Natural fats were later replaced by synthetic fats. Since the 1950s, manufacturers have focused on improving the viscosity-temperature and tribological properties of automatic transmission fluids (ATF) through additive research and development. Automatic transmission vehicles were initially produced in the United States, and American companies were the first to establish requirements for ATF. In the late 1950s, the first automatic transmissions in our country were installed in heavy urban vehicles and government vehicles, prompting GAZ to create the first domestic oil brand — "A" oil.
The scientific director of the project and Associate Professor of the Department of Lubricants and Chemical Technology, Leonid Bagdasarov, stated that there is a lack of high-quality domestic automatic transmission oils on the market. Most Western suppliers have withdrawn, and Chinese oil additive manufacturers cannot provide qualified alternatives. Low-quality oils may cause transmission failures or malfunctions. The cost of vehicle maintenance depends on the quality of the lubricant, and reducing maintenance and spare parts costs is particularly important for passenger transport or logistics companies.
The fluid in automatic transmissions serves multiple functions and must meet many, sometimes contradictory, quality standards. Project initiator and employee of the Department of Lubricants and Chemical Technology, Alexandra Spiridonova, explained that the fluid must both reduce friction and reliably engage the clutch plates. Low viscosity facilitates hydraulic system operation but reduces anti-wear performance. Previously, performance combinations were achieved by adding anti-wear and anti-friction additives, but these additives are known as "antagonists," improving one parameter while degrading others.
Alexandra Spiridonova stated that this development completely abandoned the introduction of antagonistic additives and instead created a unique complex phosphate ester. Its production can be realized in Russia, which can reduce friction losses and provide more effective heat dissipation. The phosphate ester additive improves transmission efficiency, lowers oil temperature, slows oxidation, and extends service life. Leonid Bagdasarov pointed out that the use of the new component can reduce the number of additives required in production and lower production costs.
The lubricant developed by Gubkin University was tested at the Mostransavto bus depot. Urban buses operate under harsh transmission conditions. The tests confirmed that the lubricant has a longer service life than similar products and only needs to be replaced after 200,000 kilometers of driving, thereby extending the service life of vehicle transmissions. The next phase of this scientific project will be the development of transmission oils for equipment operating in the northern regions of Russia.
