Technical Specifications
This grade family is available as 5 CheMost grades — the differences are in the columns below.
| Property | Unit | PIB680 | PIB950 | PIB1300 | PIB2400 | PIB3500 (indicative) | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular Weight (Mn) | g/mol | 680 | 950 | 1300 | 2400 | 3500 | GPC |
| Viscosity at 100°C | mm²/s | 80 | 230 | 650 | 4500 | 8000 | ASTM D445 |
| Flash point | °C | 175 | 205 | 225 | 270 | 290 | ASTM D92 |
| Density at 20°C | kg/m³ | 890 | 890 | 900 | 910 | 920 | ASTM D4052 |
| Appearance | Colourless to pale-yellow viscous liquid | Colourless to pale-yellow viscous liquid | Colourless to pale-yellow viscous liquid | Colourless to pale-yellow viscous liquid | Colourless to pale-yellow viscous liquid | Visual |
* Typical values from batch production. Batch-specific COA available on request.
Technical content reviewed by the CheMost additives team · Specifications last reviewed
Molecular Structure
Molecular structure · polyisobutylene (PIB)
–[CH₂–C(CH₃)₂]ₙ–
Repeat unit of polyisobutylene; the chain length n sets the molecular weight (Mn 680–3500) and the tack / viscosity.
What Is a Polyisobutylene (PIB) Tackifier?
A polyisobutylene (PIB) tackifier is a low-molecular-weight liquid polymer added to a lubricant or grease to make it stick to metal and resist being thrown or dragged off the surface it is meant to protect. PIB, polybutene, olefin copolymer and latex are the classic tackiness additives; of these, low-molecular-weight PIB is the workhorse because it is non-toxic, chemically inert, non-drying and gives a strong, stringy, water-resistant cohesive film at a low treat rate.
Lubricants naturally tend to migrate away from the very surfaces that need them — off open gear teeth, off chains, off wire ropes, off vertical slideways — under gravity, centrifugal force and load. A PIB tackifier counters that by building a cohesive polymer network that holds the oil in place, the property formulators call “anti-fling” or “stringiness.” The strength of that effect rises with molecular weight, so CheMost supplies five grades — PIB680, PIB950, PIB1300, PIB2400 and PIB3500 — spanning Mn 680 to 3500 from light, easy-handling tack to maximum anti-fling cling, set out grade-by-grade in the Technical Specifications table above.
PIB is a standardised commodity polymer, so the table shows typical values for each nominal grade (PIB680–PIB2400 follow published polybutene datasheets; PIB3500 is shown as indicative), with exact specifications confirmed by Certificate of Analysis per shipment. The same polymer also serves as a viscosity and thickening additive — that role, and the viscosity-modifier comparison, is covered on the dedicated PIB viscosity-modifier page; this page is about its use as a tackifier.
How a PIB Tackifier Works
Cohesive “stringiness” & adhesion
Long polyisobutylene chains entangle and align under flow, so the oil forms cohesive filaments rather than breaking into droplets. Those filaments cling to metal and stretch instead of snapping, which is what lets a tacky compound bridge a gear mesh or coat a moving chain link and stay there. The higher the molecular weight, the longer and stronger the strands.
Anti-fling-off & anti-migration
On high-speed open gears, ring gears and wire ropes, centrifugal force throws ordinary oil clear of the contact within seconds. A PIB tackifier raises the cohesive strength of the film so it resists fling-off and stays on the tooth or strand under rotation and load — keeping a lubricating layer where untreated oil would have migrated away.
Anti-misting
The same chain cohesion that resists fling-off also suppresses the formation of fine oil mist and aerosols when a lubricant is sheared at high speed — useful in metalworking and circulating systems where airborne oil mist is a housekeeping and exposure concern.
The tack-vs-handling trade-off
Tack, stringiness and anti-fling all climb with molecular weight, while pumpability and ease of blending fall — and, as with every long-chain polymer, the higher-Mn grades that tack most strongly are also the most prone to being torn apart under sustained high shear. Choosing a grade is balancing maximum cling against handling and shear durability.
Choosing a PIB Tackifier Grade (Mn 680–3500)
All five grades are the same polyisobutylene; for a tackifier the choice is driven by how much cling you need versus how easily the compound must handle. The numbers are in the Technical Specifications table above — here is how to read them for tack:
PIB680 & PIB950 (Mn 680–950) — light, easy-handling tack. Low-viscosity liquids that blend and pump easily and add a defined, modest tackiness. Suited to chain and chainsaw bar oils, light open-gear oils and adhesive/sealant uses where ease of handling and a clean film matter more than extreme cling.
PIB1300 (Mn 1300) — the workhorse tackifier. The balance point of strong, reliable tack with manageable handling viscosity — the default for wire-rope lubricants, open-gear greases and adhesive-sealant binders that need dependable adhesion without going to the heaviest grade.
PIB2400 & PIB3500 (Mn 2400–3500) — maximum anti-fling. The highest chain entanglement and the most pronounced stringiness, for heavy-duty open-gear lubricants on kilns, ball mills and sugar mills, high-load wire-rope dressings and specialty adhesives where fling-off resistance must hold up even at high speed or high temperature. The trade-off is higher handling viscosity and greater sensitivity to high shear.
As a rule of thumb, climb the Mn ladder for more cling and anti-fling, and step down it for easier handling and better shear durability. If you are unsure which grade fits your compound, our technical team can advise on request.
Applications
This PIB tackifier is used as the adhesion and anti-fling component in formulations targeting the categories below; it provides tack, cohesion and anti-misting but carries no detergency, antiwear or extreme-pressure performance of its own.
Open gear lubricants
Kilns, ball mills, sugar mills and large ring gears need high-viscosity, tacky compounds that cling to the teeth under rotation and shock load — PIB1300, PIB2400 and PIB3500 are the standard tackifiers for these heavy-duty open-gear oils and greases.
Chain & wire-rope lubricants
Chain oils, chainsaw bar oils and wire-rope dressings rely on tack to stay on fast-moving links and strands and to penetrate and hold inside the rope. Light grades suit chains; heavier grades give wire ropes their fling-resistant, water-shedding coating.
Slideway oils & tacky greases
On vertical and inclined slideways, tack stops the oil draining off the ways; in greases, small PIB additions improve body, adhesion and water resistance and reduce throw-off from bearings and couplings.
Adhesives, sealants & anti-mist fluids
Beyond lubricants, PIB is a tackifier and binder in pressure-sensitive adhesives, sealants and waterproofing compounds, and is added to metalworking and circulating oils as an anti-misting agent to suppress airborne oil mist.
Finished-product OEM and industry approvals are held by the fully formulated oil, grease or compound, not by an individual tackifier component.
Treat Rate & Formulation Notes
There is no single datasheet dosage for a tackifier; the right level depends on how much cling the compound needs and which grade you use. As an indicative guide grounded in typical formulating practice:
a defined chain-oil tack → lower end · heavy open-gear / wire-rope anti-fling → higher end (with the higher-Mn grades)
A light, defined tack in a chain or slideway oil is often achieved at the low end of that range, while heavy open-gear and wire-rope compounds use more of a higher-Mn grade to build both viscosity and stringiness. Keep the shear trade-off in mind: the higher-Mn grades that tack most strongly also break down fastest under sustained high shear, so in high-shear service the grade and dose are balanced against the cling you need. PIB is broadly compatible with mineral (Group I–III) and many synthetic base oils.
The figures above are indicative typical values, not a fixed dosage from a datasheet; the correct grade and level depend on your compound, base oil and the degree of tack and anti-fling required. CheMost can provide grade-selection and treat-rate support on request.
Formulating With a PIB Tackifier — Complementary Additives
A tackifier supplies adhesion and cohesion only; a finished open-gear, chain or wire-rope compound pairs it with the additives that carry the load and protect the steel:
Extreme-pressure additives
Open gears and wire ropes carry very high, shock loads, so sulfur-phosphorus EP additives provide the load-carrying film while the PIB tackifier keeps that film clinging to the tooth or strand — tack and EP are the two halves of an open-gear compound.
Rust & corrosion inhibitors
Open gears, ropes and slideways are exposed to weather and washdown; PIB’s water-resistant, clinging film is paired with rust inhibitors to keep moisture off the steel underneath.
Antioxidants
Although PIB itself resists oxidation, the base oil it tackifies still ages in hot, long-service open-gear and chain duty; aminic and phenolic antioxidants extend the compound’s life.
PIB as a viscosity modifier
The same polymer also builds viscosity and viscosity index; where body and thickening are the goal rather than tack, see the viscosity-modifier use of PIB, sometimes dosed alongside an olefin copolymer for shear-stable viscosity control.
Documentation, Qualification & Regulatory Support
A Certificate of Analysis (COA) confirming the typical grade properties is provided per shipment, together with the Technical Data Sheet (TDS) and Safety Data Sheet (SDS, GHS/CLP) on request rather than as a public download. Additional support is available on request:
Regulatory documentation
REACH, TSCA and country-specific market-registration documentation support available on request.
Third-party inspection
SGS / Intertek / BV pre-shipment inspection can be arranged on request.
Grade sourcing & packaging
Sourcing of specific Mn grades and packaging on request.
Formulation support
Tackifier grade selection, treat-rate and base-oil-compatibility guidance from our technical team.
Packaging & Supply
This polyisobutylene tackifier is stocked and shipped worldwide, with a typical lead time of 1–15 days. Samples and quotations are answered within 12 hours.
Packaging
Metal drum (typically ~180 kg) · IBC · ISO tank, by grade and viscosity.
Minimum order
1 drum or 1 IBC — no minimum order value.
Incoterms
FOB · CIF · EXW, to suit your freight arrangement.
Loading ports
All major Chinese ports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a PIB tackifier do?
A polyisobutylene tackifier makes a lubricant stick to metal and resist being thrown or dragged off — the “anti-fling” or “stringiness” property. It builds a cohesive polymer film that keeps oil on open gear teeth, chains, wire ropes and slideways under rotation, gravity and load, where untreated oil would migrate away. It also suppresses oil mist.
Which PIB grade gives the strongest tack?
Tack and anti-fling rise with molecular weight, so the higher-Mn grades (PIB2400 and PIB3500) give the strongest, stringiest cling for heavy-duty open gears and wire ropes. PIB1300 is the balanced workhorse, and the lighter PIB680/950 grades give a defined but modest tack with easier handling. The grade-by-grade specs are in the table above.
Does the tackiness survive high shear?
Partly. Like all long-chain polymers, PIB tackifiers can be torn into shorter chains under sustained high shear, which reduces tack over time — and the higher-Mn grades that tack most strongly are the most affected. In high-shear service the grade and treat rate are chosen to balance the cling you need against shear durability; a slightly lower-Mn grade at a higher dose is sometimes more durable than the heaviest grade.
How is a PIB tackifier different from an olefin-copolymer (OCP)?
Both are tackiness-capable polymers, but PIB is chosen specifically for tack and anti-fling at a low treat rate, while an olefin copolymer is chosen mainly for shear-stable viscosity-index improvement. For open-gear and wire-rope cling, PIB is the standard tackifier; for multigrade engine-oil viscosity control, OCP is preferred. The two are sometimes used together.
Is PIB tackifier the same product as PIB viscosity modifier?
Yes — it is the same low-molecular-weight polyisobutylene, sold here under its tackifier application. The viscosity-building and thickening use of the identical grades, and the viscosity-modifier comparison, are covered on the PIB viscosity-modifier page. Choose by the function you need; our team can advise on grade and treat rate either way.