PRODUCTION OF LUBRICATING GREASE USING NON-EDIBLE PALM OIL AND POLYMER AS ADDITIVE

The need to reduce the cost, utilize waste or non edible palm oil sludge and upgrade the quality of Sodium-based greases available in our local markets leads to the present study. This is realizable by using non- edible palm oil sludge, and polypropylene as additive and Base oils (from petroleum and petrochemical industries) to produce lubricating grease. 103 grams of 26% caustic soda solution prepared, of the specific gravity of 1.275 at room temperature of about 300C was weighed into the metal container (Reactor). The palm oil in the reactor was heated to a temperature of 500C (saponification temperature), followed by the gradual addition of already weighed caustic soda solution into the reactor. The mixture of the two components was stirred for a period of (5) minutes to saponify and form soap. The soap formed in the process was later heated up to a temperature of about (1300C at atmospheric pressure) in other to evaporate water. And the soap obtained at this stage was very thick and in a solid state. Measured quantities of polypropylene were melted separately in a measured quantity of base oil 900N by heating to a temperature of about 180oC. Also sodium–base grease prepared by a technology bounded by saponification, evaporation, melting of soap formed and blending with calculated quantity of base oil at the temperature ranging from 170oC to 180¬oC was obtained. Finally, the two products (polymer grease and sodium-based greases were blended at the temperature of about 100oC. Quality control analysis was conducted on the product samples. The result obtained from the analysis showed that the product of the blends, was within the ASTM and NLGI standard specifications No 3 -for ball- bearings. The added value to the conventional sodium–base grease was that, the product can resist water up to 80 to 85%, unlike the conventional sodium grease in the present Nigerian market .. However, the product of this research is economical in terms of cost and availability of raw materials in Nigeria, when compared with others. In conclusion, standard lubricating grease could be produced from non edible palm oil, by incorporating polymer as additive.