Base oils are the foundation for the production of lubricants. Oil is important to machinery, providing a liquid space between moving metal parts. It also cools and removes heat from engines.
The use of base oil lubricants can be traced back as far as Roman times when animal fat was used to grease wheels, but it was the Industrial Revolution that led to the different types of lubricating oils that exist today.
Base oils consist of hydrocarbon compounds, which are molecules bound to elements that create lubricants. It is these hydrocarbon compounds that are broken down to create the desired lubricant.
Paraffinic base oil is derived from mineral base oil and is considered the best lubricating oil. The manufacturing process removes unwanted substances, such as sulphur, odors and wax. Paraffinic oils are often used in motor oils because they can withstand high temperatures and last longer.
Modern mineral base oils begin as crude oil and then undergo a complex refining process to arrive at the intended result. Mineral oil is inexpensive and produced in large quantities. It can be used in engines, but also has medicinal uses, such as the treatment of eczema.
