In my years leading product development and innovation at Kumar Metal Industries, I've had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the vast and ever-widening scope of the oilseeds processing industry. Beyond just edible oils, our partners have relied on us to help them produce biodiesels, oleochemicals, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), and more. One of the most promising yet under-tapped applications of oilseeds, however, has been in producing biodegradable lubricants.
Biodegradable oils have phenomenal potential. Biodegradable lubricants, hydraulic fluids, and other such products are extremely useful in mining, automotive, marine, agricultural, food processing, and pharmaceutical industries, to name a few. And with their environmentally friendly characteristics, they are preferable to conventional lubricants, especially as legislations get more stringent in the face of the climate crisis.
I strongly believe that the biodegradable lubricants market is poised for exponential growth. Market assessments concur: a 2021 article by the American Oil Chemists' Society estimated that the global market for biodegradable lubricants would grow by 20% in the following five years. This will potentially take the global market for biodegradable lubricants, or bio-lubricants, to a value of US$2.4 billion.
The growth of the biodegradable lubricants industry is driven in no insignificant part by the growth of the healthcare and food processing industries. Both of them demand lower toxicity and greater biodegradability to ensure human health and safety. Nonetheless, any and every industry that needs lubricants will benefit from making the switch towards greener alternatives.
The path to bridging the gap between conventional fossil fuel-based lubricants and biodegradable lubricants is a long one. It is marked by extensive research to eliminate, or at least minimise, the limitations of bio-lubricants and improve their overall performance. It is my sincere hope and professional vision that Kumar will be an integral part of this revolution towards going greener with biodegradable oils.
What are lubricants? Why do we need them?
For those new to the world of lubricants, lubricants are chemicals usually used when there are two or more surfaces in relative motion with one another. They act as anti-friction agents, thereby reducing the heat generated between surfaces. They help transmit forces. They may be used to move foreign particles. They may heat or cool surfaces. They also protect metals against corrosion and oxidation, behaving as sealing agents against dirt, water, dust, and other undesirable materials. Consequently, lubricants reduce the chances of equipment breakdowns and extend the lifespan of your machinery.
The use of lubricants - both conventional and biodegradable lubricants - is common across industries, machines, and engine oils. The best lubricants typically have a high boiling point, low freezing point, hydraulic stability, strong thermal stability, high viscosity index, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance.
Of course, the specific standards that lubricants must meet differ by industry. These standards are usually defined in terms of performance and environmental safety. ISO, ASTM, SAE International, the American Petroleum Institute (API), and the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) are some of the institutions that issue standards regarding lubricants. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published a list of environmentally acceptable lubricants, while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has specifications for food-grade lubricants.
High standards are expected from manufacturers of lubricants. But with the benefits that newer lubricants offer, especially biodegradable lubricants, the focus on safety and quality is well worth the investment.
Why switch to biodegradable oils?
Conventional lubricants are either mineral oil-based or synthetic.
Mineral oil is made by processing petroleum. With applications across transport sectors like aviation, railways, and automotives, its consumption is massive. But as crude oil prices fluctuate with limited reserves and geopolitical concerns, cost becomes a matter of concern. More importantly, however - and this goes without saying - mineral oil has harmful environmental effects. Not only during production but also during combustion and disposal. Some of the substances in mineral oil have been linked to mutation, cancer, malnutrition, and infant mortality. Naturally, then, mineral oil isn't the ideal option keeping in mind human safety and well-being.
Synthetic oil, as its name suggests, is synthesised artificially. Even with synthetic oil, though, the starting material to produce it is crude oil. Compared to mineral oil synthetic oil has lower volatility and higher thermal stability, making it a better alternative. Nevertheless, its use is limited by its significantly high cost and the risk of additive precipitation during cold storage.
What are we left with? Why, biodegradable oils, of course.
What are biodegradable lubricants?
When mineral oil is substituted with vegetable oils - which come from plant seeds, fruit, and other parts - you get bio-lubricants or biodegradable lubricants.
However, when it comes to industrial standards, exactly what counts as a bio-lubricant is not always well-defined. Food-grade lubricants are heavily regulated for performance and toxicity. In other sectors, the requirements to be considered as a bio-lubricant may be only about biodegradability. On the other hand, some organisations may also require that the lubricant or oil be produced from renewable feedstock to be called a bio-lubricant. This means that some sectors or organisations may also consider biodegradable synthetic lubricants as bio-lubricants.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines biodegradable lubricants are having low toxicity and being subject to rapid decomposition by living organisms. Some standards are more specific, stating that a lubricant is considered a biodegradable oil only when it degrades at least 80% within 28 days or at least 60% after 28 days.
In general, vegetable oil-based bio-lubricants have higher lubricity, volatility, flash point, and viscosity index. Such biodegradable oils are good replacements for mineral oils; they can be used as biodegradable hydraulic fluids, biodegradable engine oil, grease, gear oil, antifreeze, or biodegradable lubricants across industries.
When no significant additives are mixed in, vegetable-based oils are completely biodegradable. They do not cause damage to human or environmental health the way conventional oils and lubricants do. A comparative study found that compared to the use of regular engine oil as a lubricant, coconut oil and palm oil yielded much lower emissions of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, and other such gases.
Biodegradable oils aren't perfect yet…
Biodegradable lubricants have some phenomenal advantages over mineral oil-based ones. Nonetheless, as I mentioned earlier, helping bio-lubricants reach their full potential calls for a significant amount of research.
Vegetable oils have high heterogeneity, poor oxidation stability, and poor low-temperature properties. To make them more suitable for use as biodegradable engine oil or other such products, we need to modify their physico-chemical properties. Most biodegradable oil manufacturers will rely on transesterification, hydrogenation, epoxidation, or estolide synthesis to do this.
… but they're still very useful
Despite the additional steps required, vegetable oil-based biodegradable oils can be used across industries for diverse purposes.
Canola oil can serve as a renewable feedstock for biodegradable hydraulic fluids, coconut oil for biodegradable engine oil for gas engines, palm oil for grease in the steel industry, rapeseed oil as a chain saw bar lubricant and in other farm equipment, and safflower oil as a biodegradable lubricant for diesel fuel. Linseed oil, soybean oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, and other plant-based oils can also be used as feedstock for applications in cosmetics, paint, automotive, printing, pesticide, and chemical industries.
Needless to say, vegetable oils are an important source of versatile and environmentally friendly biodegradable oils.
Going green: Choosing biodegradable oils over conventional ones
The benefits of biodegradable lubricants extend beyond minimising air, water, and soil pollution. They provide a high level of safety and reliability. They also offer manufacturers in all industries the opportunity to prioritise machine operators' health and safety. Ultimately, making the switch to biodegradable lubricants and oils is a matter of environmental, community, and occupational health.
The path towards making biodegradable lubricants the go-to choice for all industries is marked by many challenges. But the benefits I see on the horizon are beyond compare - cleaner production processes, fewer waste management problems, and better health for factory workers and communities as a whole.
My work at Kumar has been characterised by a focus on sustainable, environmentally-friendly innovations. In keeping with this focus, I'm certain that Kumar can help our partners deliver cleaner, greener products to their customers. If you would like to discuss our prioritisation of sustainability in delivering project outcomes, please reach out. I'm always happy to support our partners in making our vision for a healthier world a reality.
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A handbook for biodiesel manufacturing
Why biofuels production is crucial for the future of the world
Uncover trends and opportunities shaping the biofuels industry
