LUBRICANTS

Friction:

Resistance and tear.

observed

between

two

moving or sliding surfaces creating wear Lubricant: Any substance introduced between two moving or sliding surfaces with a view to reduce the frictional resistance between them is know as a lubricant. Lubrication: The process of introducing lubricant between moving/sliding parts is known as lubrication
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Functions of Lubricant
o To reduce frictional resistance between surfaces and
reduce deformation, wear and tear between moving/sliding surfaces. To reduce loss of energy in the form of heat (Coolant). To reduce waste of energy i.e., to increase efficiency of machines. To reduce irregular expansion of metals. To reduce welding of the two surfaces. To reduce or avoid rough relative motions of moving / sliding parts. To reduce running and maintenance cost of the machine. To reduce the leakage of gases under high pressure like a seal or Teflon.

o o o o o o o

Mechanisms of Lubrication
1. Fluid-film (or) Thick-film (or) Hydrodynamic lubrication 2. Boundary lubrication (or) Thin-film lubrication 3. Extreme pressure lubrication

1. Fluid Film/Thick-Film/Hydrodynamic Lubrication

(~ 1000 )
Characteristics:
o The surfaces are separated by a thick-film (at least 1000 thick) and hence there is no direct surface to surface contact. o No welding of junctions. o Since thick film lubricant covers/fills the irregularities on the both surfaces, there is no direct contact between material surfaces and so the wear is reduced.

In Fluid Film Lubrication, the Lubricating properties depend on:

o Viscosity of lubricant (Lubricant should be

of low viscosity). o Thickness of lubricant layer. o Relative velocity and area of moving/sliding surfaces.

Example: Shaft running (Journal bearings)

Lubricant oil covers the irregularities of the shaft as well as the bearing surfaces.

o Examples where fluid film lubrication is used are :

i) Sophisticated instruments ii) Light machines like watches, guns, sewing machines etc. o Examples for fluid-film lubricants are: Hydrocarbon oils are considered to be satisfactory lubricants. To maintain viscosity throughout lifecycles long chain polymers are used as blenders with normal hydrocarbons oils. Small amount of unsaturated hydrocarbons present in hydrocarbon oils produced from petroleum fractions, which causes oxidation and produce gummy like products. Hence, anti-oxidant like aminophenol are used in journal bearings with lubricant

Mechanism of fluid film lubrication

2. Boundary Lubrication/Thin-film Lubrication

Characteristics of thin film lubrication are:
o High viscosity-index. o Resistance to heat and oxidation. o Good Oiliness. o Low pour-point.

Mechanism of Boundary Lubrication/Thin-film Lubrication This Lubrication takes place due to:
o Adsorption of lubricating oils to both surfaces by physical/chemical means. o The adsorbed layers on the both metal surfaces carry the applied load. o Co-efficient of friction, f = 0.05 - 0.15 and distance between surfaces is to be the order of the distance of the asperities.

For boundary lubrication, molecule should have:

the lubricant

(i) Long hydrocarbon chain with polar groups. (ii) Polar groups promote spreading and orientation over the metallic surfaces at high pressure. (iii) Lateral attraction between the chains. (iv) Active groups or atoms, which can form chemical linkages metal or other surfaces.

Examples of Boundary lubrication

Vegetable and animal oils (glycerides of higher fatty acids & their soaps).
o These oils either physically adsorbed to metal surfaces or react chemically at the metal surfaces. o Although these oils posses greater adhesion property and oiliness, yet they tend to breakdown at high temperatures. Hence, fatty acids are added to mineral oils to improve the oiliness.

Graphite and Molybdenum disulphide alone or oil suspension may be used because:
o They have Low internal friction o They can bear/withstand compression o They are thermally stable

Mechanism of Boundary Lubrication

3. Extreme-pressure Lubrication
When moving/sliding surfaces are under very high pressure and speed, a high local temperature is attained. In such conditions, liquid lubricants fail to stick and may decompose and even vaporize. To avoid this, special additives are added to mineral oils. These are called extreme-pressure additives.

Mechanism
The extreme-pressure additives form on metal surfaces more durable films, capable of withstanding very high loads and high temperatures. Fe-Chloride (mp)= 650oC, Fe-Sulphide (mp)= 1100oC Examples: Organic compounds containing chlorine, sulphur and phosphorus.
o These compounds react with metallic surfaces, at prevailing high temperatures, to form metallic chlorides, sulphide or phosphides. o These metallic compounds possess high melting points.

CLASSIFICATION OF LUBRICANT
Based on Physical state, lubricants are classified as: a) Lubricating oils or liquid lubricants
b) Semi solid lubricants or greases c) Solid lubricants d) Synthetic lubricants

e) Lubricating emulsions

1. Lubricating oils or liquid lubricants

Purpose:
o o o o Provide a continuous fluid film. Provide a cooling between the surfaces. Act as a sealing agent. Act as corrosion preventing materials.

Properties of liquid lubricants:

o Low pressure i.e., high boiling point. o Adequate viscosity for particular service conditions. o Low cloud & pour point. o Stability to heat & decomposition at the operating terms. o High oxidation resistance. o Non-corrosive properties.

Types of Liquid Lubricants

a) Animal and Vegetable oils:
- Usable under very high temperature and heavy load. Disadvantages of its usages are 1. Costly 2. Undergo oxidation easily in contact with air and forms gummy and acidic products, and get thickened. 3. Tendency to hydrolyze in contact with moist-air or aqueous medium. So, they are used as blending agents with other mineral oils.

b) Mineral oils or petroleum oils:

- They are obtained by distillation of petroleum.
o o Length of hydrocarbon chain varies between 12 to 50 carbon atoms. Shorter- chain oils have lower viscosity than the longer- chain hydrocarbons.

 Liquid lubricants are most widely used lubricants because they are
1. Cheap 2. Available in abundance 3. Quite stable under service conditions.

o But they have poor oiliness character compared to

animal and vegetable oils. o So, high molecular weight compounds like oleic acid, stearic acid are used to overcome this problem.

c) Blended oils: o No single oil serves as the most satisfactory lubricant

for many of the modern machines. Hence, additives are used to improve the properties. These blended oils give desired lubricating property required for a machinery.

Additives used are:

a) Oiliness- carriers: o Coconut oil, caster oil, and palmitic, stearic and oleic acids. b) Extreme-Pressure additives such as: o Fatty esters or acids which form oxide film with metal surface. o Organic materials containing sulphur. o Organic chlorine compounds. o Organic phosphorous compounds. o Some times lead (Pb) compounds could be used as high pressure lubricants. c) Pour-point depressing additives: o Phenol, condensation product of chlorinated wax with naphthalene.

d) Viscosity index improvers : hexanol e) Thickeners : Polystyrene or polystyers

f) Antioxidants or inhibitors : Aromatic phenolic or amino compounds g) Corrosion preventers : Phosphorous or Antimony organic compounds h) Abrasion inhibitors i) Antifoaming agents j) Emulsifiers k) Deposit inhibitors : tricresyl phosphate : glycols and glycerol : sodium salts of sulphonic acid : detergents such as salts of phenol and carboxylic acids

2. Semi-Solid Lubricants or Greases

o Semi solid consisting of a soap dispersed throughout a liquid lubricating oil. - May be Petroleum oil or synthetic oil with a specific additive. Preparation:
Saponification of fat (such as tallow or fatty acid) with alkali (like lime, caustic soda etc.,) Addition of the above to hot lubricating oil under agitation

o To increase the heat resistance of grease, inorganic solid

thickening agents ( like finely divided clay, bentonite, colloidal silica, carbon block etc.,) are added. o Have higher shear or frictional resistance than oils and hence support much heavier load at lower speeds.

Applications of Greases: o o o o When oil cannot remain in place due to high load, low speed, intermittent operation, sudden jerks etc. Work at high temperature When external contamination may create problem When dripping or spurting of oil is undesirable

Types of greases: o Ca based greases or cup-greases (up to 80oC & water resistant) o Soda-based greases (up to 175oC and not water resistant) o Lithium-based greases (up to 15oC and water resistant) o Axle- greases lime with resin and fatty acids (water resistant & less delicate equipment under high loads and at low speed) o Graphite greases (rail axle boxes, machine bearings, tractor & wire ropes) o Soap stone (Steatite is relatively soft and may feel soapy when touched, hence the name and rich in Mg).

3. SOLID LUBRICANTS
Solid lubricants are used when:
o Other lubricants can not be used o Contamination undesirable o Too high temperature or load are involved o Combustible lubricants not acceptable

Examples of solid lubricants used are:

a) Graphite (or) b) Molybdenum disulphide c) Sandstone, mica, talc, etc.

Examples of Solid Lubricants

1.Graphite:
Talc

o Very soapy in touch

o Non inflammable o Not oxidized in air below 375C o Oil + graphite oildag (internal combustion engines) o Water + Graphite aquadag - Emulsifying agent (tannin) (foodstuffs industry) o Grease + graphite graphite greases (at higher temp.)
(It works upto 800o C in High Load and High Temp. conditions, ex. in bearings,)

Examples of Solid Lubricants

o o Low coefficient of friction (0.005-0.01) Stable in air up to 400 C
Sandwitch-like str

2. Molybdenum disulphide:

Sandstone, talc or mica are also used as solid lubricants.

4. Synthetic Lubricants
Petroleum lubricants + specific additives and severe conditions Temp. range ~ -50oC to 250oC Low freezing point High viscosity-index Non-inflammable High flash point High temp. stability High chemical stability meets most drastic

Examples:
Polymerized hydrocarbons: polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene ~ molecular ranges of 500 to 50,000 Da

 Polyglycols & related compounds: polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polyglycidyl ethers & higher polyalkylene oxides in rubber-bearings and joints. polyglycidyl ethers & higher polyalkylene oxides in roller bearings of sheet glass manufacturing machines Oxides are not used at high temp. due to thermal decomposition Organic amines, imines & amides: - Low pour points - High viscosity-index - Temp. range: -50oC to 250oC Silicones: -Up to 200oC and applicable at low temp. lubrication process - Starts cracking at 230oC - High viscosity-index

 Fluorocarbons: - Not decomposable by heat i.e. temp. resistance - Chemically resistant - Non-oxidizable - But reacts with molten sodium

5. Lubricating Emulsions
A fairly dispersion of two immiscible liquids, the one being dispersed as fine droplets in the other The disperse phase/the internal liquid that is broken into droplets (1-6m) The dispersing phase/external/continuous phase is the surrounding liquid Emulsifier/emulsifying agent: Oil in water emulsion: 25.98% oil + 74.02% water (3-20% water-soluble emulsifying agent as sodium soap; sodium & potassium salts of sulphonic acids) for cooling of cutting tools and for rust protection Water in oil emulsion: 74.02% oil + 25.98% water (1-10% water soluble Emulsifying agent like alkaline-earth soap e.g., calcium stearate)

Properties of Lubricants
1. Viscosity: The property of a liquid or fluid by virtue of which it offers resistance to its own flow . - Viscosity should not be too low or too high.

(viscosity is inversely proportional to temperature)

2. Flash - Points and Fire - Points :

Flash Point:
The lowest temperature at which the oil lubricant gives off enough vapour that ignites for a moment, when a tiny flame is brought near it. Fire Point: The lowest temperature at which the vapour of the oil burn continuously for at least five seconds, when a tiny flame is brought near it. In most cases the fire-points are 5 to 40oC higher than the flash-points. It is measured by using Pensky-martens apparatus.

3. Oiliness: A measure of its capacity to stick on to the surfaces of machine parts under conditions of heavy pressure or load.
o For high pressure

high oiliness oil should be used.

o Important for extreme Pressure lubrication

4. Cloud and Pour points:

When an oil is cooled slowly, the temperature at which it

becomes cloudy or hazy in appearance, is called its CLOUD POINT. The temperature at which the oil ceases to flow or pour, is called its POUR POINT.

5. Volatility:
o Good lubricant should have low volatility.

o It is measured by Vaporimeter.

6. Emulsification:
o The property of oils to get intimately mixed with water forming

an emulsion. o Emulsions have a tendency to collect dirt, girt, foreign material etc., causing abrasion and wearing out of the lubricating parts of the machinery. o A good lubricating oil should form an emulsion with water which breaks off quickly.

7. Carbon residue:
Normally lubricants consist of high % of carbon containing compounds.
o Lubricants decompose due to raise in temp. and deposit

carbon creating problems to : a) IC engines and b) Air compressors. o A good lubricant should deposit least amount of the carbon .

8. Corrosion stability:
Corrosion Test: o A polished copper strip is placed inside a lubricating oil for a specified time and temperature and then checked for any tarnishing . o To prevent or retard corrosion effect of lubricating oils, additives such as Phosphorous, Arsenic, Antimony, Chromium, Bismuth or Lead are added.

9. Decomposition stability:
o Lubricating oils must be stable to decomposition at the operating temperatures by : a. Oxidation: To prevent it anti oxidant or inhibitor are used. b. Hydrolysis: Moisture in oils causes hydrolysis of esters c. Pyrolysis : At high temperature

10. Aniline point: (A.P.)

o The minimum equilibrium solution temp. for equal volumes of aniline and oil sample. o A good lubricating oil should have higher aniline points (A.P) o Higher A.P means higher % of paraffinic hydrocarbons and hence lower % of aromatic HC. (Aromatic HC dissolves natural rubbers and few synthetic ones)

11. Precipitation Number:

o The percentage of asphalt present in oil after centrifuging oil solution in petroleum ether. o Precipitation Number is used to differentiate the different classes of lubricants.

12. Ash Point: o For used oil it is important to get an idea as to how much abrasion and wear it may cause 13. Saponification number: o Number of milligrams of KOH required to saponify 1g of oil.

14. Mechanical stability:

o At very high pressures of operation, the stability of a lubricant is judged by four balls extreme pressure lubricant test. To check maximum load that can be carried safely by a lubricant

15. Neutralization Number: o Is a scale to determine the amount of acidic or basic constituents of an oil. o Acid Number: Amount of KOH required in milligrams to neutralize the fatty acids in 1g of oil. o Good lubricating oil acid number value < 0.1 o More than 0.1 indicates oil gets oxidized and corrodes the engine