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Chemical modification of vegetable oils for lubricant applications
Author(s) -
Sharma Brajendra K.,
Adhvaryu Atanu,
Liu Zengshe,
Erhan Sevim Z.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/s11746-006-1185-z
Subject(s) - lubricant , thermogravimetric analysis , lubricity , differential scanning calorimetry , mineral oil , vegetable oil , base oil , environmentally friendly , base (topology) , viscosity index , materials science , chemical engineering , thermal stability , gel permeation chromatography , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymer , composite material , scanning electron microscope , ecology , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , biology , engineering , thermodynamics
Owing to the unfavorable impact on the environment of mineral oil‐based lubricants, there has been a steady increase in the demand for biodegradable, environment‐friendly lubricants. However, development of a biodegradable base fluid that could replace or partially substitute conventional mineral oil is a big challenge. Vegetable oils are recognized as rapidly biodegradable and are thus promising candidates as base fluids in environment‐friendly lubricants. Vegetble oils have excellent lubricity, but poor oxidation and low‐temeprature stability. This paper presents a series of structural modifications of vegetable oils using anhydrides of different chain lengths. The reaction was monitored and products were confirmed by NMR, FTIR, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Experimental conditions were optimized for research quantity and for laboratory scale‐up (up to 4 lb=1.8 kg). The thermo‐oxidation stability of these new lubricant base fluids was tested using pressure differential scanning calorimetry and TGA. The chemically modified base fluids exhibit superior oxidation stability in comparison with unmodified vegetable oils. These base fluids in combination with suitable additives exhibit equivalent oxidation stability compared with mineral oil‐based formulations.