GREEN FRIX
Enhancing the power of nature
Green Frix harnesses plasma to transform natural oils and waxes into advanced materials. Once cross-linked, they gain durability, chemical resistance and thermal stability, making them a renewable alternative in coatings, adhesives, sealants, lubricants and cosmetics.
We start from renewable raw materials and keep the process clean, so better performance comes with a smaller environmental footprint. Our team works directly with each customer to understand the application and develop a product that meets their quality standards.
Frédéric Danneaux
Managing Director
Patented plasma process
Metal-free partial hydrogenation, oligomerization and polymerization.
REACH registered
Our oligomers are registered under REACH.
Made in Belgium (Wallonia)
Developed and produced in Blandain, Belgium.
Markets
Lubricants, cosmetics, coatings, adhesives and sealants.
How the plasma process works
Plasma is the fourth state of matter: a highly energized gas full of ions, radicals and excited molecules. Exposing an oil to plasma changes its molecular structure, and with it, its performance.
Cold plasma in the DBD reactor
01
Generate a cold plasma
A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) energizes hydrogen at reduced pressure. The energy goes to the electrons that drive the reaction, not to heating the oil.
02
Treat the oil in one reactor
The oil, degassed under vacuum, meets the plasma directly. Partial hydrogenation and cross-linking take place in the same vessel.
03
Cross-link the chains
Reactive species open bonds on the fatty-acid chains. Triglycerides link into dimers, then trimers, oligomers and polymers. Viscosity is tracked live and the run stops on target.
What the plasma does to the oil
Polymerization
Larger molecules and higher viscosity, for applications that need thicker, more stable oils.
Oxidation stability and purification
A lower iodine value for a longer shelf life, and fewer impurities and odour-causing compounds.
Surface activation
Adjustable polarity for better compatibility with other ingredients and easier emulsification.
What we control
Gas and pressure
Determine which reactive species form and which reactions follow.
Power and treatment time
Set how far the cross-linking goes, without overheating or degrading the oil.
Viscosity end point
Measured during treatment, so every batch stops at the specified grade.
From oil to polymer: the viscosity we can reach
Kinematic viscosity at 40 °C, logarithmic scale. The longer the cross-linking runs, the further right the product moves.
Oligomers are available in ISO VG 68, 100, 150, 220, 320, 460 and 680. Higher grades on request.
* Indicative ranges. Oligomers and polymers coexist over a wide viscosity range; their proportions at a given viscosity depend on the composition of the starting oil and on the reaction parameters.
Green chemistry by design
Our plasma process fully meets 10 of the 12 principles of green chemistry and partly meets the other two. These are the parameters that make the difference.
0
metal catalyst, radical initiator or solvent
1
reactor for both hydrogenation and polymerization
100 °C
maximum temperature, with no external heating
Electric
plasma powered by electricity alone: no steam, thermal oil or burner
Instant
shutdown: the reaction stops as soon as the power is cut
Live
viscosity control at 40 °C, so each run stops on target
Because electricity is the only process energy, the footprint of our products falls as the grid gets greener. The Walloon electricity mix is already about 75 % low-carbon.
Conventional route vs. plasma
A hydrogenated, then bodied vegetable oil usually takes two separate processes and a metal catalyst. Conditions shown are typical industry orders of magnitude.
Step
Conventional route
Green Frix plasma
Hydrogenation
Nickel catalyst, about 150–220 °C, pressurized hydrogen in an autoclave
Plasma under hydrogen at reduced pressure, no catalyst, no external heating
Polymerization
Heat bodying at about 280–300 °C for several hours, or peroxide initiators
Same reactor, same plasma, no initiator
Separation
Catalyst filtration, spent filter earth, removal of residual nickel
Polishing filtration, no filter aid
Solvents
Depending on the route
None
Energy
Heat, often from fossil sources
Electricity only, no heating
Renewable from the start
Every product is built on vegetable triglycerides such as rapeseed, sunflower or linseed oil. No petroleum-based monomer is added: the plasma links the fatty-acid chains directly to one another. When an antioxidant is needed, we use natural tocopherol (vitamin E).
The 12 principles, one by one
● Met ◐ Partly met
01
Prevent waste
● Met
No spent catalyst, no nickel-laden filter cake, no purification effluent.
02
Atom economy
● Met
Addition reactions: the reactants end up in the product, with no stoichiometric by-product.
03
Less hazardous synthesis
● Met
No nickel, peroxide or solvent. Hydrogen is the only hazardous input, used at reduced pressure in a closed reactor.
04
Safer products
● Met
Cross-linked triglycerides with no metal residue.
05
Safer solvents and auxiliaries
● Met
No solvent, no separation agent, no filter aid.
06
Energy efficiency
● Met
Cold plasma heats the electrons, not the oil. No heating element, thermal oil or steam.
07
Renewable feedstocks
● Met
Vegetable oils as the backbone; natural tocopherol as the antioxidant.
08
Reduce derivatives
● Met
Two reactions in one reactor: no intermediate to isolate, store or purify.
09
Catalysis
◐ Partly met
Plasma electrons activate the double bonds directly, with no catalyst or stoichiometric reagent.
10
Design for degradation
◐ Partly met
Cross-linking slows biodegradation, the trade-off for durability in use. Test data per product on request.
11
Real-time analysis
● Met
Viscosity at 40 °C is monitored during treatment, which stops at the target value.
12
Inherently safer chemistry
● Met
No autoclave, no oil heated to 300 °C. The reaction stops the moment the power is cut.
Products
Cross-linked, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, available as they are or functionalized for specific performance.
Cross-linked oils: oligomers and polymers
Each product is made from a single vegetable oil processed by plasma: 100 % rapeseed, 100 % sunflower, and so on. As cross-linking proceeds, the same oil first becomes an oligomer in the REACH sense, then a polymer, up to 20,000 mm²/s at 40 °C.
Oligomers
ISO viscosity grades 68, 100, 150, 220, 320, 460 and 680; higher grades on request.
Improved adhesion to surfaces.
REACH registered.
Typically used as a base oil in bio-lubricants and cosmetics.
Polymers
Strong tackiness and affinity for surfaces.
Exempt from REACH registration, as polymers.
Typically used in lubricants as a bio-based friction modifier.
Across the range
Shear-thinning behaviour, which varies with the raw material and helps prevent stick-slip.
Lower iodine value, for better oxidation stability.
Aseptic effect from the plasma treatment.
Amphiphilic: the polar head dissolves and disperses additives, while the fatty chains mix with mineral and synthetic oils. Higher molecular weight shifts the balance between rheology and miscibility; we help you find the right point.
Available bases
Sunflower · Rapeseed · Soybean · Linseed · Castor · Argan · Jojoba
Blends of several oils are available on request, as polymers only.
Why REACH applies to oligomers
Oligomers are no longer vegetable oils as found in nature, but not yet polymers, so they fall under REACH. Green Frix has completed their registration.
Data sheets, samples and test data
Technical and safety data sheets, samples and quotes are available on request, as are Stribeck curves and friction-modification results.
Functionalized oils
We add functional groups to the cross-linked base: hydroxyl, epoxy, keto or furanoid groups, or elements such as phosphorus, nitrogen and sulphur.
Beyond friction modification and adhesion, functionalization can add:
Anti-wear protection against surface damage.
Further oxidation stability.
Higher thermal stability.
Natural sources first
For every project, we look for a natural source of the functionality you need.
Shear-thinning oils
A shear-thinning oil becomes less viscous under shear stress. In a lubricant, this brings:
Better lubrication: a thin, even film under heavy loads and high speeds, with less friction and wear.
Better protection: the oil flows into narrow gaps and hard-to-reach parts.
Energy savings: less power is needed to pump the oil and move parts.
Temperature stability: consistent viscosity over a wide temperature range.
Vibration damping: less noise and mechanical stress, longer equipment life.
Built in, not added
Most lubricants get this property from additives. Our cross-linked oils carry it in the base oil itself; how much depends on the raw material.
We help you match the product to your application and friction-modification needs.
Our commitment
Bio-based raw materials, development under confidentiality, and products that meet the regulations your market expects.
Bio-based products
We supply plasma-treated oils from:
refined vegetable oils such as sunflower, rapeseed and linseed;
organic oils such as argan and jojoba, from carefully selected producers.
Secure development
Plasma-treated oils can set your products apart. We develop tailor-made solutions with you, up to oils made exclusively for your company.
Every development is covered by a non-disclosure agreement.
Compliance
From the start, we have invested in bringing green products to market that meet both customer needs and current regulations, including REACH.
REACH registered oligomers
NSF HX-1
EU Ecolabel
Supported by Wallonia
The science behind plasma-treated oils
How a cold plasma changes a vegetable oil, where the process comes from, and how we measure the result.
What is a cold plasma, and how does it change a vegetable oil?
A cold plasma is a partially ionized gas in which the electrons carry most of the energy, while the gas and the oil stay at moderate temperature (about 50 to 70 °C in our reactor). We create it by applying an alternating high voltage between electrodes separated by a dielectric barrier, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), in hydrogen, for example, at reduced pressure. The working pressure follows Paschen's law, which relates the breakdown voltage of a gas to the product of its pressure and the electrode gap: at reduced pressure, a stable and homogeneous discharge ignites at moderate voltage. The oil flows as a thin film over the electrodes. Under hydrogen, the plasma generates hydrogen radicals. They add to the carbon–carbon double bonds of the unsaturated fatty-acid chains, which removes the double bond and leaves a triglyceride radical; two such radicals recombine into a dimer. Because a triglyceride usually carries several double bonds, the reaction repeats, forming trimers, oligomers and polymers. Other plasma gases can be used: Green Frix also works with oxygen, for example, to make alternatives to blown oils.
Why does a lower iodine value matter?
The iodine value measures how many carbon–carbon double bonds an oil contains. Oxidation starts at these double bonds, so a lower iodine value generally means better oxidation stability and a longer shelf life. Under hydrogen, plasma treatment cross-links the oil and partially hydrogenates it in the same step, without a metal catalyst, so there is no nickel or other catalyst residue to remove.
Oligomer or polymer: what is the difference?
Both are triglycerides linked by covalent bonds: an oligomer contains a few units, a polymer many more. REACH defines a polymer by its molecular-weight distribution: a simple weight majority of molecules with at least three monomer units bound to another unit, and no single molecular weight in majority. Our lower-viscosity grades do not meet that definition and are registered under REACH as oligomers. Oligomers and polymers coexist in the same product; the longer the treatment, the more the distribution shifts towards polymers.
Where does the process come from?
The treatment of liquids by silent electric discharge was invented in Ghent, Belgium, by Professor Alexandre de Hemptinne, who patented it in 1905 (British patent No. 7101). Applied to oils under hydrogen, it was later called voltolization and was used in the first half of the 20th century to thicken lubricating oils. Those reactors were hard to control and gave variable results. Our patented reactor and process (priority 2016) make the treatment controlled and reproducible: a stable high voltage on every electrode, regulated hydrogen pressure, continuous filtration and in-line viscosity measurement.
What changes in the oil, in measurable terms?
In a published example on rapeseed oil (US 2019/0203153 A1), the treatment raised the dynamic viscosity and the weight-average molar mass (GPC, polystyrene equivalent), while the iodine value fell as part of the double bonds were consumed. Our products are specified by these measurable properties: viscosity, iodine value, molar mass and viscoelastic behaviour (thixotropy and relaxation time). They are protected by two patent families: WO 2018/002340 for the lower-viscosity grades, and WO 2018/002355 for grades of 2,500 mm²/s and above (kinematic viscosity at 40 °C).
Which oils can be treated, and what protects the technology?
Rapeseed, sunflower, soybean, linseed, castor and argan oils, as well as vegetable waxes in molten form. The reactor, the process and the resulting oils are covered by Green Frix patent families filed since 2016, including US 11,053,453 B2, WO 2018/002340 and WO 2018/002355. All products are developed and produced in Blandain, Belgium (Wallonia).
Let's talk about your project
ADDRESS
Green Frix S.A.
Rue de la Forêt 2
7522 Blandain
Belgium
PHONE
+32 (0)68 33 19 56
Tell us your application and the performance you're after. We'll suggest the right oil, or develop one with you.
Request a product or send us a message
Use the form just below to ask for technical and safety data sheets, a sample or a quote, or to tell us about your application. We'll get back to you by email.
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