“The Effect of Base Oils on Thickening and Physical Properties of Lubricating Greases”

摘要

In general, lubricating greases are non- Newtonian fuids consisting of base oil, thickener, and additive components. The base oil is the majority component in most lubricating greases and thus signifcantly infuences the greases’ physical properties. Thickeners provide the backbone of lubricating greases, making the product semi-solid rather than liquid. Thickeners entrap base oils by various mechanisms including van der Waals interactions, hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and/or capillary action. The affnity of a base oil for a thickener depends greatly on the polarity of both materials. A polar thickener has greater affnity or compatibility with a more polar base oil versus a less polar base oil. In the lubricant industry, it is common practice to use the aniline point to measure the compatibility of a base stock with aniline, and to describe a base stock with relatively low aniline point (low miscibility temperature) as relatively polar or as having strong solvency. Lubricating grease manufacturers utilize a variety of base oils in their products, including aromatics, naphthenics, paraffnics, and synthetic fuids.