Determining the oxidation stability of lubricating oils using sealed capsule differential scanning calorimetry (SCDSC)

Oxidative degradation of mineral oil based lubricants has increasingly been an area of important research. Oil deterioration leads to changes in its chemical and physical properties which ultimately affect equipment performance. Therefore, in order to save costs and reduce environmental impact it is important to optimize a lubricant's renewal time. In this study, criteria were developed to assess the remaining useful life of a range of commercially available lubricants using the technique of sealed capsule differential scanning calorimetry. These results were then correlated with infrared analysis resulting in a series of safe/unsafe zone maps which reflect the oxidative condition of a lubricant at a given time. Further refinement and application of the developed criteria to industrially degraded oils will enable an oil condition monitoring programme to be developed.