University Francisco Jose de Caldas
Technological Faculty
Lubricants Fundamental Article
Sergio Nicolas Cárdenas Zipa 20182574053
Introduction
Lubrication, since the age of machines, has
been a fundamental element on which the
agricultural industry, transportation,
construction and the manufacture of vehicles
and machines depend. For this, they must have
special additives that provide lubricants with
specific and necessary properties that allow
equipment to be operated and maintained
efficiently.
Friction can damage equipment, but
lubrication can control it and reduce the
damage it causes. In addition, lubricating
additives improve the performance of oils and
have the ability to solve specific problems that
arise, improving performance in broad
operating conditions. On many occasions,
specifically formulated lubricants are
necessary to protect critical components,
provide reliable operation, reduce maintenance
costs, reduce downtime and increase
equipment life. Properly mixed and selected,
these lubricants will reduce friction in engines
and control friction in transmissions, minimize
wear, act as a heat transfer agent, inhibit
corrosion and oxidation, eliminate wear debris
and other contaminants, will reduce the effect
of extreme temperatures on discs and reduce
noise.
In addition to the above, there are
organizations that create and monitor
lubrication standards and the importance of
choosing the right lubricant for each
application.
Lubrication and friction
 What is tribology?
Tribology is a multidisciplinary study that can
cover different branches of study such as
biology, chemistry, engineering, material
sciences, mathematics and physics, with the
aim of studying friction, wear and lubrication.
that can occur during contact between solid
moving surfaces, such as rolling or sliding
components of equipment.
 What is friction?
To increase the useful life of a vehicle or
equipment, the friction generated between the
moving parts must be reduced. On smooth
surfaces, when viewed microscopically, a
landscape of peaks and valleys can be
observed. These asperities are potential points
of contact between the interacting surfaces.
Contact between interacting moving parts
results in friction.
The amount of friction generated depends on
the contact area of the microscopic spikes, not
the total area that is interacting. This friction
happens to slow down or stop the sliding
action between the asperities of the surface.
Also, this friction doubles as the force between
the interacting parts doubles.

 What damage does it cause?
Excessive friction can cause asperities to bind
together and then break apart as parts move,
causing wear of metal services and
contaminating the lubricant with metal debris.
Also, the viscosity of a lubricant is a measure
of its resistance to flow. Therefore, as the
number of asperities on the surface increases,
the coefficient of traditional free friction
increases in pounds of force needed to move
the pieces, so there will be an increase in drag
friction. The additional power needed to
overcome this frictional drag is then wasted,
resulting in inefficient operation. In addition to
wasting energy, excessive friction increases
heat stress and component damage. Depending
on the severity of operating conditions,
frictional damage to component surfaces
produces a variety of wear patterns that can
help lubrication experts diagnose equipment
health and lubrication problems. Also, a series
of raised, polished, parallel ridges extending
diagonally across the metal surface can be
produced when metal from one surface is
transferred to another. These pits consist of
irregular cavities in the metallic surface due to
the breakage of the superficial metal, which
generates that there is not a completely smooth
surface.
 How does lubrication control friction?
The lubricant is an important element to
protect the parts from these negative effects of
friction, depending on the type of equipment,
loads and operating speeds, different types of
lubrication are used to provide this protection.
There are three different lubrication regimes:
fluid film lubrication also known as
hydrodynamic lubrication, contour lubrication
and mixed film lubrication.
The lubricant film is thick enough to
completely separate the interacting surfaces
minimizing friction. This type of lubrication is
present under conditions of maximum
lubricant viscosity and minimum load;
however, fluid film lubrication fails under
shock loading, low speed, high torque
operation or when operating with low
lubricant viscosity.
To prevent wear under boundary lubrication
conditions it is essential to use a lubricant
containing extreme pressure anti-wear
additives. When activated by heat and
pressure, these anti-wear additives react with
the metal surface to form a protective film.
This film covers microscopic spikes on
component surfaces. The film has low shear
strength, but with a high solid-to-liquid
transition temperature it acts as a sacrificial
wear layer reducing friction between
interacting components and protecting them
from excessive wear. Mixed film lubrication
combines the properties of fluid film and
boundary lubrication by employing a
continuous lubricating film and a layered film
to protect the interacting surfaces.
 How does lubrication control damage?
The lubricant itself must be formulated with
special additive packages to counteract the
adverse effects of contamination, or not
changing the dirty lubricant to the scheduled
lubricant with a viscosity that is too low or too
high for the application or with a viscosity that
has been altered by contaminants, it will not
provide adequate protection when using
lubricants and applications for which they
were not formulated as gear oil in an engine.
Selecting the proper lubricant with the correct
viscosity grade and performance level for the
application is the best way to prevent and
increase excessive wear, since equipment life
expectancy when choosing lubricants always
follow the lubricant manufacturer's
recommendations original equipment for type
and fill intervals.
Composition of a lubricant
 Types of lubricant additives
Types of additives include viscosity modifiers,
detergents, dispersants, anti-wear agents,
antioxidant pressure agents, and viscosity
modifier inhibitors.
 Additive function
The function of additives is to improve the
performance of the lubricant in a wide variety
of operating conditions. These helps maintain
the lubricant's viscosity grade despite wide
fluctuations in operating temperatures.
First, viscosity modifiers are oil-soluble
organic polymers that thicken and oil
relatively more at high temperatures than at
low temperatures where high viscosity is
undesirable. These extend the temperature
range in which a lubricant can function
effectively, an important characteristic for
fluids that must function in all seasons.
On the other hand, detergents are mainly metal
salts of organic acids. These salts include
metals such as calcium, magnesium, or sodium
and are used primarily in motor oils and
metalworking fluids, with some use in
transmission fluids and greases. These prevent
contaminants from building up on component
surfaces and also neutralize the corrosive
effects of combustion or oxidation products.
Also, antiwear agents reduce metal loss from
component surfaces by preventing metal-to-
metal contact under high loads. They include
boundary film-forming compounds. Like zinc
dithiol phosphates that protect by reacting with
or adsorbing to metal surfaces.
Also, extreme pressure agents are a special
type of anti-wear component for use under
extreme loads, low speeds, and high
temperatures. These react with asperities on
interacting surfaces to form a protective
boundary film that helps reduce friction and
wear.
Lastly, inhibitors protect against rust and
corrosion caused by oxygen attack and acid
by-products. These provide a barrier between
metal and rust, which brings in moisture and
oxygen.
Standards and selection of a lubricant
 Organizations for testing and
standardization of lubricants
Performance criteria and test procedures for
many different lubricants are established by
original equipment manufacturers and by
various organizations in different states. These
are: the American Petroleum Institute, the
Society of Automotive Engineers, the
American Association of Gear Manufacturers,
the National Institute of Lubricating Grease
and the American Society for Testing and
Materials, the International Organization for
Standards, the International Committee for
Standardization and Lubrication Approval,
Japan Automobile Standards Association,
German Industry Standard, Frost Safety
Standardization Association and European
Automobile Manufacturers Association.
 Selection of lubricants based on
attributes
These organizations look for certain general
qualities in all lubricants, regardless of their
specific application. First, low volatility under
operating conditions. Second, satisfactory flow
characteristics over a range of operating
temperatures. Third, superior stability to
maintain specific properties over a reasonable
period of use. Fourth, compatibility with other
materials in the system such as seals, bearings,
and clutch plates.
In addition to these general performance
requirements, lubricants must perform specific
tasks associated with their particular
application. Gasoline engine oil must be able
to reduce friction and wear, minimize deposit
formation and prevent corrosion under normal
operating conditions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
● Lubrizol. Lubricants Fundamental
Part 1. Published by: NanoEnergizer
Malaysia. Taken from:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=WwvLvgwSpT4
● Lubrizol. Lubricants Fundamental
Part 2. Published by: NanoEnergizer
Malaysia. Taken from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=2qRm4IVby8k