Lubricants are organic or synthetic substances, used in machines and other mechanical processes to control and reduce friction and wear between moving surfaces in contact. They can be fluids, solids, or plastic in nature, and can sometimes be used to transmit forces, transport foreign particles, or heat and cool the surfaces they're lubricating.
Lubricants also have several other functions, including:
- Keep parts moving smoothly
- Transfer heat to prevent overheating
- Reduce friction and increase efficiency
- Anti-stick coating on surfaces that tend to stick to one another
- Carry away debris to prevent clogging
- Transporting foreign particles
- Transmit power from one equipment to another
- Protect against wear and lengthen the life of the equipment
- Prevent corrosion when a piece of equipment is being used in a corrosive or wet environment
- Seal for gas to prevent it from escaping or losing pressure
Some of the more common types of lubrication - and ones that have been used for years - are oil and grease. These can be synthetic, vegetable, or mineral-base, and are often enhanced with additives that add or suppress properties of the base oil. While organic oils are usually the norm, synthetic versions can have added benefits, especially in cases where the operating conditions of the machines are extreme. These synthetic/added properties result in a change in the oil's viscosity, which allows it to do its job better, within the environmental constraints. The downside of this is that additives can be depleted, which means that synthetic oils have to be repeatedly replaced in order to restore the additives back to sufficient levels. Additives can be anything from anti-wear agents to corrosion and rust inhibitors, detergents, dispersants, friction modifiers, pour point depressants, seal swell agents, viscosity improvers, anti-foaming agents, anti-oxidants, and metal deactivators.
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