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Title: VEGETABLE OIL BASED BIODEGRADABLE LUBRICANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

Author
item Erhan, Sevim
item SHARMA, BRAJENDRA - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Biotechnology International
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2006
Publication Date: 4/10/2006
Citation: Erhan, S.Z., Sharma, B.K. 2006. Vegetable oil based biodegradable lubricants for industrial applications [abstract]. BIO 2006 International Convention, Innovative Corridor Poster Session. p. 21.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Until recently, mineral oil had a significant cost advantage over vegetable oils and so petroleum has been the base oil of economic choice. A recent rise in oil prices along with the low vegetable oil prices has narrowed the price difference to close to $0.05/lb, and there is now more interest in vegetable oils basestocks. Though most lubricants used currently originate from petroleum base stocks, vegetable oils have seen a promising increase as biodegradable fluids over the last decade. Environmental concerns as well as economics and performance issues will drive the market share for these oils, and an increasing use will be seen in total loss lubricants, military applications, and in outdoor activities such as forestry, mining, railroads, dredging, fishing and agriculture hydraulic systems. In this work, the low thermo-oxidative stability and poor cold flow behavior of vegetable oils has been improved through the use of chemical additives and high-oleic vegetable oils. The cold-flow, oxidation and wear properties of these lubricants are better than the commercially available biobased industrial oils, and comparable to some mineral oil-based lubricants. Their biodegradation study was also conducted in typical soil conditions.