Classification of Lubricants

LUBRICANTS
CLASSIFICATION OF LUBRICANTS
THEORY
Classification of Lubricants:
Lubricants can be broadly classified. On the basis of their physical
state, as follows:
I) Lubricating Oils or Liquid Lubricants

A good lubricating oil must have-
i)
low vapour pressure (high B.P.)
ii)
adequate
(enough)
viscosity
for
conditions.
iii)
low freezing point.
iv)
high oxidation, resistance
v)
heat stability
vi)
non corrosive property
vii) stability at the operating temperatures.
particular
service
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
Lubricating oils are further classified as

follows:
i) Animal & Vegetable oils
Before the advent (coming or arrival) of the petroleum
industry, they were the most commonly used lubricants.
They have good oiliness. However they are costly.
Undergo oxidation easily, forming gummy & acedic
products & get thickened on coming in contact with air.
They have some tendency to hydrolysed when allowed to
remain in contact with moist air or aquous medium. So at
present they are rarely used as such.
Actually they are used as blending agent with other

lubricating oil to produce desired effects.
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
e.g. Vegetable oilsa) Olive oils Obtained

-
from used for the delicate
olive trees &
apparatus (low press of

high speed)
b) Palm
Palm fruits
delicate apparatus.
Castor seeds
delicate
oilsc) Castor
oils-
apparatus.
excellent oiliness but

insoluble in petroleum.
e) Rape
Colza plant
delicate apparatus.
Hazel nut plant
delicate apparatus.
seedf)
Hazel
nut-
e.g. Animal oils

a) Whale
Whale fish
used
oil-
for
light
machinery.
b) Neat foot Foot of neat
delicate apparatus.
oilc) Lord oil-
Fats, kidneys & ordinary machines.

intestines of pigs
d) Tallow
oil-
Cattle
fats. used for machine in
(Bullocks or cow) which high pres & low

speed.
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
ii) Mineral of Petroleum oils

They are obtained by distillation of petroleum. The length
of hydrocarbon chain is varies between 12 to 50 Carbon
atoms. The shorter chain oils have lower viscosity than
the/longer chain oils.
These are most widely used because they are i) cheap ii)
available in abundance & iii) quite stable under service
conditions.
However they posses comparatively poor oiliness as

compared to that of animal & vegetable oils. The oiliness
as compared to that of animal & vegetable oils. The
oiliness can be increased by addition of high molecular
with compound like oleic acid, stearic acid etc.
Impurities in Crude petroleum can be removed by using

Dewareing, Acid refining & Solvent refining.
4
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
iii) Blended Oils

No single oil serves as the most satisfactory lubricant for
many of the modern machineries. Typical properties of
petroleum oils can be improved by using Specific
additives. These are also called blended oils. Fatty acids,
organic compound Glycols.
It is done to reduce pour point, improve viscosity, increase

oiliness, resist oxidation, reduce corrosion & improve
color.
iv) Synthetic Lubricating Oils

They are chemically prepared compounds. Where mineral
oil fail to work, synthetic oils are used. They are very
effective in severe (strict) conditions & are used in jet
engines, rocket motors, submarines, etc.
They are very expensive & sometimes they are used by
mixing them with mineral oils.
e.g. Poly alkene glycols & Silicon

5
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
II) Semi Solid lubricantsThe most important Semi-solid lubricants are greases,
vaselines, wares & other compounds of oil & fats. These
are called Semi-solid because they are neither solids nor
liquid at ordinary temperature.
Greases are prepared by saponification of fat (tallow i.e.

hard
fat
or
fatty
acid)
with
alkali
( ()2 , ()2 ) followed by adding hot

lubricating oil while under agitation (Change in condition)
At high temp, the soap dissolve in the oil, where upon the
interconnected structure exist & the grease liquefies + it
become a shift solid mass. To improve the heat resistance
of grease, inorganic solid thickening agents (Linely divided
Clay, bentorite, colloidal silica, carbon black, etc.) are
added.
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
They are usedi)
For high load, low speed, intermittent operation,

sudden jerks etc.
ii)
In bearing & gears at high temperature.
iii)
as sealing agents in bearing.
Important greases are

i) Calcium based greases or Cup
greases
These are emulsion of petroleum oils with calcium soaps.
Calcium hydroxide + hot oil+
Ca-based grease.
They are cheapest, most commonly used & good water

resistance & used upto 800C because above 800C oil &
soap beings to separate out.
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
ii) Soda-based greases

These are petroleum oil thickened by mixing sodium
soaps. They are poor water resistance because sodium
soap is soluble in water. However they can be used up to
1750C . They are suitable for use in ball bearings.
iii) Lithium based greases

These are petroleum oils thickened by mixing lithium
soaps. They are water resistance & are suitable for use at
low temp (15oC) only.
iv) Axle grease

Ca(OH)2 + Fatty Acid (Resin) + Filler (Tale & mica) ---- >>
Axle grease.
They are water resistance & suitable for less delicate
equipment working under high loads & at low speeds.
LUBRICANTS
III)
THEORY
Solid lubricantsSolid lubricants are used in situation such as,
1. When heavy machinery is to be operated at high speed

& moderate load or at very high load & low speed.
2. When the machine parts are not easily accessible
3. When the machine is at high working temp & press. &
hence under such conditions combustible lubricants are
unsuitable.
e.g. graphite & molybdenum disulphide.
LUBRICANTS
1.
THEORY
Graphite
Carbon atom in a network of hexagons
Each C atom bonded

by
only
three
covalent bonds.
The distance of fourth

carbon
is
almost
double, due to which

this
fourth
valency
atom is Hexible &

keeps moving about,
thereby
weakening
the bonds between

different layers.
As a result it is soft &

has
property.
10
lubricating
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
Ti is non- inflammable, soapy to touch + not oxidized in

the presence of air below 375oC. It can be used upto
much higher temp in the absence of air. It can be used in
powdered forms or as suspension in oil or water.
i)
The suspension of graphite in oil is known as oil dag

& it is used in I.C. Engines.
ii)
The suspension of graphite in water is known as

aquaday & it is used in food processing industry.
iii)
Graphite is also mired with greases to form graphite

greases which are sued at high temp.
Uses -In air compressors, lathes, railway truck joints,

cast iron bearing, etc.
2.
Molybdenum disulphide
Molybdenum disulphide has a sandwich, like structure in
which a layer of Mo atoms lies between two layers of S
atom. Poor inter-laminar attraction is responsible for low
shear strength in a direction Parallel to the layers.
It possesses very low coefficient of friction & is stable in

air up to 400 oC. Its fine powder may be sprinkled on
11
LUBRICANTS
THEORY
surface sliding at high velocities. When it falls low spots in

malal surfaces forming.
It is also used along with

colverus & in greases is
known
as
molykotes.
used in automotive &

truck chassis.
Besides
the
more
important
graphite
&
molybdenum disulphite,
the other substances like
Teflon, Soapstone, talc,
mica, etc, are also used
as a solid lubricants.
12

Classification of Lubricants

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Classification of Lubricants

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What are the main types of lubricants classified based on their physical state?

What are the main types of lubricants classified based on their physical state?

What are the main types of lubricating oils?

What are the main types of lubricating oils?

LUBRICANTS

I) Lubricating Oils or Liquid Lubricants

low vapour pressure (high B.P.)

low freezing point.

high oxidation, resistance

non corrosive property

vii) stability at the operating temperatures.

Lubricating oils are further classified as

Actually they are used as blending agent with other

e.g. Vegetable oilsa) Olive oils Obtained

from used for the delicate

olive trees &

apparatus (low press of

excellent oiliness but

Hazel nut plant

e.g. Animal oils

b) Neat foot Foot of neat

oilc) Lord oil-

Fats, kidneys & ordinary machines.

fats. used for machine in

(Bullocks or cow) which high pres & low

ii) Mineral of Petroleum oils

However they posses comparatively poor oiliness as

Impurities in Crude petroleum can be removed by using

iii) Blended Oils

It is done to reduce pour point, improve viscosity, increase

iv) Synthetic Lubricating Oils

e.g. Poly alkene glycols & Silicon

Greases are prepared by saponification of fat (tallow i.e.

( ()2 , ()2 ) followed by adding hot

They are usedi)

For high load, low speed, intermittent operation,

In bearing & gears at high temperature.

as sealing agents in bearing.

Important greases are

Calcium hydroxide + hot oil+

They are cheapest, most commonly used & good water

ii) Soda-based greases

iii) Lithium based greases

iv) Axle grease

Solid lubricantsSolid lubricants are used in situation such as,

1. When heavy machinery is to be operated at high speed

e.g. graphite & molybdenum disulphide.

Each C atom bonded

The distance of fourth

double, due to which

atom is Hexible &

the bonds between

As a result it is soft &

Ti is non- inflammable, soapy to touch + not oxidized in

The suspension of graphite in oil is known as oil dag

The suspension of graphite in water is known as

Graphite is also mired with greases to form graphite

Uses -In air compressors, lathes, railway truck joints,

It possesses very low coefficient of friction & is stable in

surface sliding at high velocities. When it falls low spots in

It is also used along with

used in automotive &

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