BioLubricants, Cleaners & Solvents

Biobased or renewable materials (see also "BioRenewable Materials") are often environmentally preferable when compared to non-renewable source materials, such as petroleum-derived chemicals based on "fossil carbon". By contrast, "new carbon" agricultural crops, biomass, or processing byproducts (waste materials such as sugar cane bagasse or beet residue), when properly formulated, deliver similar or superior price/performance while solving end-of-life disposal issues, reducing environmental health and safety risks, and opening new markets.

Using principles of "green chemistry," these materials are not only environmentally preferable, but are also highly functional -- they perform well enough to directly replace and thus conserve petroleum and mineral reserves, preserving these finite resources for applications that do not yet have a suitable replacement. There is also the perceived benefit of increased geopolitical supply security and insulation from price volatilities.

Biobased and Renewable Lubricants

Industrial lubricants are now made from renewable agricultural crops and specialized additives that deliver an array of advantages throughout the value chain. Some products outperform all-petroleum lubricants while achieving the ASTM D5864 "Ultimate" Pw1 standard of biodegradability, the highest rating in the US.

Extensive field testing and oil anaysis shows that these technologies can extend maintenance cycles, reduce energy consumption (through improved lubricity), and through improved film strength over a wider range of operating temperatures such formulas better protect equipment, workers and, of course, the environment.

The problem with traditional lubricants is that they often leak, spill, are illegally burned or are otherwise "lost" to the environment. Several brands of "food grade" (NSF registered) lubricants and greases have been developed and the pace of adoption has quickened in recent years due to rising petroleum prices and better risk management. One high-performance line of biolubricants is the result of more than a decade of hybridized (non-GMO) oilseed crops, are protected by 11 patents (7 issued, 4 patent pending, 10 worldwide) and proprietary know-how.

Manufacturing consists of formulating, sourcing, blending, quality assurance and packaging. Networks of distributors and OEMs switch to the biobased products for their "green" advantages and to keep up with competitors. Lubricants are a service business, so brand loyalty is less entrenched.

With an addressable market in excess of $1.7 billion in transportation lubricants alone, these industrial segments are experiencing rapid growth worldwide, compared to relatively flat petroleum lubricant markets (the EU market has been steadily declining due to increased use of higher-performance synthetics). These biolubricants are less expensive than their synthetic petroleum counterparts, and early adopters now include several giants of industry, paving the way for broader acceptance.

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Green Chemistry Design Principles

In chemistry, when aligned with natural processes (vs. the "brute force" approach), a better design means better use of capital, better profits, and better ecology.

Green chemistry principles, now well established among "design chemists," deliver sharp advantages over traditional "take/make/waste" brute force approaches. Whatever you call it, "green" or "sustainable" chemical formulations are more energy efficient, use fewer additives, often less materials overall, with less waste and toxicity -- thus less risk to manage. Such designs are generally more compatible with human needs, avoid downstream problems and regulatory hassles.

 

 

Renewable Energy	Renewable Materials	BioPharma	Water