Reasons Non Toxic Lubricants Have Been on the Rise

In the past ten years or even longer, biodegradation has been the main indicator to measure the performance of environmentally friendly or non toxic lubricants. It has been assumed that lubricants that completely decompose into safe hydrogen-carbon-oxygen components are more ideal for the environment. Although high biodegradation levels can bring the benefits of lubricants, biodegradation alone doesn’t give the full picture of the impact of such lubricants to the environment.

Additional awareness

People’s awareness of pollution caused by many chemical substances (including lubricants) is increasing the use of non toxic lubricants. An increasingly obvious trend has witnessed the use of lubricants more responsibly, with some laws restricting the use of certain oils in specific applications. Biological lubricants are found in construction, agriculture, mining forestry, medicine, the food industry, dams and various marine applications.

Faced challenges

To produce bio-based high-performance lubricants, there is the need for a relationship between tribological and physicochemical bio-based components properties. The change from known mineral oil to an environmentally friendly one has a great influence on the mechanisms that depend on the oil performance. These may include ball bearings, thrust bearings, transmission gears, journal bearings and rubber-made sealing items. These mechanisms have been optimized for use with mineral oil. A new design may be required when using EAL. There has been a great importance to carefully evaluate the effect of environmentally friendly lubricants on the entire tribo-system before replacement.

Commercially viable green additives

Conventional lubricants, for example, petroleum-based oils are known for their toxic effects on the environment. Replacing such lubricants with bio-lubricants has been proven to increase viscosity, improve lubricity, extend equipment life, and reduce evaporation rates. To enhance the renewability and biodegradability of lubricants without doing away with tribological properties, has led to a significant production of various non toxic lubricants. This has been caused by the high global interest in sustaining the environment.