Properties of synthetic lubricants and their uses

Synthetic oils are those that are manufactured by chemical processes. They can be tailor-made to suit a particular application
Properties of synthetic oils –

• High viscosity index.
• Lubricants having low or high viscosities and oiliness are available.
• Very high flash thermal and chemical stability.
• very high flash and fire points.
• Low cloud and pour points.

Synthetic lubricants are used in-

• Metal forming processes like die casting where fire-resistant hydraulic fluids are required.
• Hot running bearing and hot rolling mills where extreme temperature and pressure are encountered.
• Aircraft turbines where lubricants must have low viscosity at starting to allow sufficient amount of oil to flow to the pump which lubricants heavily loaded high-speed gears at high temperature for a long time.
• jet-turbines have operating temperatures as wide as -550 to + 2600C. The lubricant should have a viscosity ranging from 3,000 centistokes in the working range.

Some of the important types of synthetic lubricants are as follows

• Dibasic acids esters
• Silicate esters
• silicones