Production of Palm-based Biolubricant Via Green Process
Nur Sulihatimarsyila Abd Wafti1* and Harrison Lau Lik Nang1Lubricant acts as an anti-friction substance and helps in reducing wear of the components in contact during the motion of machine parts, i.e., engines, gear boxes and compressors. They are complex formulated products consisting of 70%-90% base stocks mixed with functional additives to optimise the physical properties such as thermal stability, oxidative stability, kinetic viscosity and viscosity index in order to meet performance specifications. To date, the lubricants available on the market are mainly derived from crude petroleum oils and their derivatives. However, crude petroleum oils are depleted due to increasing energy demands for industrialisation and population growth. Over 95% of petroleum-based lubricants may enter the environment, causing environmental pollution and harm. Hence, new lubricant of base stocks should be explored to fulfil current and future demand. Biolubricant is one of the promising alternatives to petroleum-based lubricants as it offers comparable technical characteristics. In addition, biolubricants are chemically deriving from renewable raw materials, including edible and non-edible vegetable oils, animal fats, waste materials and tallow. They are also biodegradable naturally through biological processes within a year (Afida, 2015). Figure 1 highlights the significant and superior of biolubricants. Biolubricants can be used in a wide range of applications, including for internal combustion engines in the automotive and marine sectors, as well as for general industrial uses such as turbine oils, compressor oils and transmission oils, as listed in Table 1.
Author information:
1Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
*E-mail: nursulihati@mpob.gov.my