COCONUT OIL AS BASE OIL FOR INDUSTRIAL LUBRICANTS – EVALUATION AND MODIFICATION OF THERMAL, OXIDATIVE AND LOW TEMPERATURE PROPERTIES

Abstract This paper presents the thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) of coconut oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil and a commercial 2T oil under nitrogen and oxygen environment to study their thermal and oxidative degradation and the analysis of the low-temperature properties of the vegetable oils using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A molecular dynamics simulation software (Spartan 02, Wavefunction Inc.) has been used to study the effect of different saturated and unsaturated fatty acid (e.g. lauric, oleic, linoleic) chains on pour point. Coconut oil showed lower weight gain, an indicator of oxidative stability, under oxidative environment and the highest pour point among the vegetable oils considered in the study. This can be attributed to the predominantly saturated nature of its fatty acid constituents. The procedures described in this paper have been effective in improving the oxidative stability and the pour point of coconut oil to some extent.