ARS | Publication request: MODIFICATION OF VEGETABLE OILS FOR USE AS INDUSTRIAL LUBRICANTS

Submitted to: International Conference on Automotive Technologies Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 20, 2006
Publication Date: November 17, 2006
Citation: Erhan, S.Z., Sharma, B.K. 2006. Modification of vegetable oils for use as industrial lubricants. Proceedings of the International Conference on Automotive Technologies (ICAT06). p. 252-258.

Technical Abstract: There has been a lot of interest in using vegetable oils (particularly soybean oil) as renewable raw materials for new industrial products including lubricants. This emphasis on environmentally friendly lubricants is largely due to the rapid depletion of world fossil fuel reserves and increasing concern for environmental pollution from excessive mineral oil use. Vegetable oils are promising candidates as base fluid for eco-friendly lubricants, but their use is restricted due to low thermo-oxidative stability and poor cold flow behavior. This paper presents use of two different approaches, i.e. genetically modified oils and chemically modified oils in combination with additives to improve the oxidation and cold flow behavior of vegetable oils. The oxidation behavior was studied using Pressure Differential Scanning Calorimetry (PDSC) and Rotary Bomb Oxidation Test (RBOT), while the low temperature property was studied using pour-point measurements. The combination of high-oleic vegetable oils and chemical additives offer the best option for achieving the ultimate goal. The lubricants formulated using high-oleic vegetable oils exhibit superior oxidative stability, and improved low temperature properties compared to some of the commercially available bio-based industrial oils, and are at par with petroleum-based lubricants.