ABSTRACT
Many modern high-performance lubricants, particularly in demanding automotive, industrial and aviation applications, are based either wholly or partly on synthetic base oils. The physical and chemical properties of these base oils can differ significantly from those of the mineral base oils described and discussed in Chapter 2.
It is important that the managers, supervisors and operators in blending plants are aware of and understand the properties of the various synthetic base oils found in many types of lubricants. Many types of synthetic base oils are used in lubricants, but the most commonly used are polyalphaolefins (PAOs), diesters, polyol esters, polyisobutenes (PIBs) and polyalkylene glycols (PAGs).
Other synthetic base oils, such as phosphate esters, polyphenyl ethers, perfluoroalkylpolyethers, silicones, silahydrocarbons, phosphazenes, dialkyl carbonates and alkylcyclopentanes, are only used in specialist applications. Since most lubricant blending plants are unlikely to encounter these specialist synthetic base oils, they are not discussed in this chapter. Instead, the chapter focuses on the synthetic oils most often encountered by lubricant blending plants.
