Biobased grease with improved oxidation performance for industrial application.

Area of Science:

• Tribology and Materials Science
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Mineral oil-based greases are widely used but pose environmental concerns.
• Vegetable oils present a sustainable alternative for grease formulation.
• Enhancing the oxidative stability of vegetable oils is crucial for their application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop biobased greases with high oxidative stability.
• To evaluate the performance of these greases for industrial, agricultural, and forestry applications.
• To demonstrate their potential as a substitute for mineral oil-based greases.

Main Methods:

• Utilized oxidatively stable epoxy vegetable oils as the base fluid.
• Incorporated metal-soap thickeners and specialty chemicals.
• Assessed grease hardness using standard test methods.
• Determined oxidative stability via pressurized differential scanning calorimetry and rotary bomb oxidation tests.
• Evaluated wear protection using four-ball tests.

Main Results:

• Developed biobased greases exhibit high oxidative stability.
• Grease hardness and wear protection meet or exceed industry standards.
• Performance characteristics are comparable or superior to mineral oil-based greases.
• Demonstrated effective lubrication, wear protection, and corrosion resistance.

Conclusions:

• Biobased greases formulated with epoxy vegetable oils are a viable and sustainable alternative to mineral oil-based greases.
• These greases offer excellent performance for demanding applications in industrial, agricultural, forestry, and marine sectors.
• The developed formulation addresses the need for eco-friendly lubricants without compromising performance.