Lubricant Composition

What you need to know

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CONTENTS
Definition of Lubricants
Functions of Lubricants
Constituents of Lubricants
Types & comparison of mineral oils
Synthetic Lubricants
Additives for Lubricants
Greases
Advantages/Disadvantages of greases
NLGI classification
Various thickeners and their advantages
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WHAT ARE LUBRICANTS?

Lubricants are those substances, when introduced between two
solid surfaces which move over one another reduce resistance
to movement or friction and wear
Lubricants may be in any of the following forms :

Oils

Greases

Powders

Pastes

Dry-film

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BASIC FUNCTIONS OF LUBRICANTS

Reduce friction by forming a separating film between two
contact surfaces
Reduce wear
Absorb shock
Reduce temperature
Minimize corrosion

Seal out contaminants

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COMPOSITION OF LUBRICANTS

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CONSTITUENTS OF LUBRICANTS
LUBRICANTS

Oils

Additives

Solid lubricants
(optional)

Thickeners
(only for greases)

Base oils: Synthetic or Mineral

Performance Enhancing Additives
Solid lubricants (optional)
Thickeners ( for greases only)

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LUBRICANTS COMPOSITION

LUBRICANTS

Additives

Oils

Paraffinic

Mineral oil

Synthetic oil

Naphthenic

Aromatic

Solid lubricants
(optional)

Thickeners
(only for greases)

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MINERAL OILS - TYPES

Paraffinic

Wide temp. range

High viscosity index
Poor low temperature properties

Naphthenic

Good low temperature property

Good additive compatibility

Aromatic

Usually dark in color

High flash point
Unstable to temperature

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MINERAL OILS - COMPARISON

Type

Naphthenic

Paraffinic

Viscosity, cSt 38C 21

21

Viscosity Index

15

100

Pour point, C

- 46

-10

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LUBRICANTS COMPOSITION

LUBRICANTS

Oils

Mineral oil

Additives

Solid lubricants
(optional)

Thickeners
(only for greases)

Synthetic oil

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SYNTHETIC OIL - TYPES

Synthesized Hydrocarbons (PAO Polyalphaolefin)
Organic Esters diester & polyol ester
Polyglycols
Phosphate esters
Silicones polymerized siloxanes
Perfluoroalkyl Polyethers
Alkylated aromatics
Polybutenes

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RELATIVE COST OF SYNTHETIC OILS

Type

Relative Cost
(Mineral oil cost =1)

Alkylated aromatic

2-3

Polybutenes

3-5

Esters

7-15

Polyglycols

7-20

PAO

7-25

Polyolesters

10-20

Silicones

40-200

Perfluoroalkyl Polyethers

400-800

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ADDITIVES
Additives are chemical compounds added to lubricating
oils/greases to impart specific properties to the finished
oils/greases for enhancing properties already present, in
addition to imparting new and useful properties.

LUBRICANTS

Oils

Additives

Surface active

Solid lubricants
(optional)

Thickeners
(only for greases)

Performance
enhancing

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ADDITIVES
Pour point depressants
Viscosity Index improvers
Oxidation Inhibitors
Corrosion Inhibitors
Rust Inhibitors
Detergents and Dispersants
Antiwear additives
EP additives

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CLASSIFICATION OF ADDITIVES
Performance enhancing additives that influence the physical
and chemical properties of base fluids(VI improver, Low
temperature property improver, antioxidant etc)
Additives that affect primarily the metal surfaces modifying
their physicochemical properties(EP, Antiwear, corrosion
inhibitor, friction modifiers etc.)

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LUBRICANT COMPOSITION

LUBRICANTS

Oils

Additives

Solid lubricants
(optional)

Thickeners
(only for greases)

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SOLID LUBRICANTS
Molybdenum-Di-Sulphide

Graphite
Zinc Sulphide
PTFE (Teflon)
Titanium Di Oxide
Boron Nitride

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WHAT ARE GREASES?

Are solid to semi-fluid products of the dispersion of a thickening
agent in a liquid lubricant.

When the thickening agent is more than 40 % they are called

grease pastes.

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GREASES (vis--vis oils)

Advantages:
Have lower friction co-efficient

Adhere better to the surfaces

More water resistant

Operate over a wider temperature range

Seal against dirt and other contamination

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GREASES (vis--vis oils)

Disadvantages:
Not the right choice when heat transfer is a problem

Have a lower speed limit

More susceptible to oxidation.

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Classification of greases by NLGI numbers

No.

Appearance

Penetration

Used in

000

Semi-Fluid

445-475

Gears

00

Semi-Fluid

400-430

Gears

Very Soft

355-385

Gears

Soft

310-340

Bearings

Medium Soft

265-295

Bearings

Creamy

220-250

Bearings

Stiff

175-205

Seal

Soap like

130-160

Seal

Hard

85-115

Block grease

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LUBRICANTS COMPOSITION

LUBRICANTS

Oils

Additives

Solid lubricants
(optional)

Thickeners
(only for greases)

Soap based

Non-soap based

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THICKENERS
Soap Based:

Lithium/Lithium complex
Calcium/Calcium Complex/Calcium Sulphonate
Lithium - Calcium
Aluminum/Aluminum complex
Sodium
Titanium complex
Barium

Non-Soap based

Poly urea
Bentonite (Clay)

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ADVANTAGE OF VARIOUS THICKENERS

Complex soaps have high drop points
Al-Complex is the easiest to pump, has good water
resistance and has good adherence.

Sodium soaps have good corrosion resistance.

Lithium soaps are good for multi-purpose application
Calcium soaps have good water resistance.

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ADVANTAGES OF VARIOUS THICKENERS (contd.)

Aluminum greases are very transparent and smooth
Polyurea based greases have extremely good oxidation
resistance and high temp. stability
Lithium and Calcium greases have better water resistance,
shear stability, better wear and friction performance.
Barium greases have high water resistance and shear
stability.
Calcium Sulphonate greases have superior corrosion and
shear resistance and have high load carrying capacity

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POUR POINT DEPRESSANTS

Pour point depressants (also known as PPDs)

are polymers that are designed to control wax
crystal formation in lubricants resulting in lower
pour point and improved low temperature flow
performance

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THANK YOU

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