Castor Oil vs. Synthetic Oils: Why Industrial Lubricant Manufacturers Are Switching to Bio-Based Solutions
There has been a substantial shift in the lubricant industry in the last few years. The industry that once specialized in synthetic and petroleum-based oils, has now shifted towards renewable sourced categories of oil. Castor oil, among these oils, has become a highly used oil for several reasons and is the preferred choice for manufacturers because of its benefits to the environment. Various companies such as Ambuja Solvex offer top-quality castor oil produced in an environmentally friendly manner which replaces the use of synthetic oils.
Let’s discuss the difference between castor oil and synthetic oils, and why industrial lubricant manufacturers are switching to bio-based solutions.
Industrial Lubricants: A Shift towards Bio-based Solutions
Lubricants work as insulators and sealants in industry. They also cut down wear and stop rust by keeping oxidation in check. You can find different kinds of lubricants around the world such as mineral oils, synthetic oils, refined oils, and oils made from petroleum. The heavy use of fossil fuel or petroleum-based lubricants adds a lot to pollution and carbon in the air. This leads to many problems for the environment and society, like messing up ecosystems on land and in the sea.
Lubricants made from vegetable oils offer a sustainable, safe, and cheap option that’s good for the environment. These can be used again and again for machines and cars. This means we need to switch from the old fossil fuel-based lubricants to options that last longer. This change will solve both practical issues and help the environment.
Right now crude oil prices are hitting record highs, which is using up petroleum reservoirs and harming the environment. This has pushed scientists around the world to come up with green renewable, and long-lasting options called bio-lubricants. These are meant to replace old-school petroleum-based lubricants for a cleaner world. One good answer is to make biodegradable lubricants from easy-to-find non-edible castor oil.
Castor Oil as a Sustainable Alternative Lubricant
Castor oil is obtained from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant and is an odorless, renewable natural resource with unusual chemical properties. Castor oil consists of up to 90% ricinoleic, 4% linoleic, 3% oleic, 1% stearic, and less than 1% linolenic fatty acids (Source). Castor oil is valuable due to the high content of ricinoleic acid (RA), which is used in a variety of applications in the chemical industry.
Furthermore, India is known as the world leader in castor seed and oil production and leads the international castor oil trade (Source). The leading castor oil producing companies in India such as Ambuja Solvex use these natural benefits to produce castor oil which has the following properties:
Why Select Bio-based Solutions like Castor Oil Lubricants?
Bio-based lubricants, obtained from castor oil, are gaining recognition for effectively meeting industrial needs while supporting sustainability. The major benefits of castor oil-based lubricants solutions involve:
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- Eco-Friendliness: Castor oil-based lubricants are biodegradable, which minimizes the environmental impact. The castor oil of Ambuja Solvex is fully biodegradable and non-toxic. It is also considered that it highly reduces environmental risks raised due to spills and waste.
- Safe and Non-Toxic: Synthetic oils contain chemicals that are dangerous to humans and their physical surroundings. In contrast, castor oil is harmless and non-toxic to the environment. The castor oil-based lubricants make workplaces much safer and reduce the risks of handling and disposal.
- Versatility: The chemical composition of castor oil is very unique, especially because it contains ricinoleic acid, which is a relatively uncommon kind of fatty acid. This gives castor oil the attributes of a smooth feel, thickness, and heat resistance. These features make the oil suitable for use in high-performance industrial products like hydraulic fluid, grease, and cutting oils, where it demonstrates excellent performance.
Other Reasons:
- The castor oil has a thick consistency even when it undergoes extended force and heat suitable for rigorous industrial use.
- It is suitable in different weathers and does not affect the efficiency.
- This oil is a biodegradable substance that does not create bad impacts on the environment by leaving behind any hazardous chemicals.
- Castor oil is derived from plants so it is environmentally friendly and highly suitable to support the sustainability drive throughout the world to replace synthetic oils.
Due to these characteristics, castor oil serves as the best lubricant in industrial applications including;
- Engine oils,
- Hydraulic fluids
- Gearbox
- Metalworking fluids applications
- Automotive
- Aerospace
- Marine
- Agriculture
- Textile
- Food processing
- Pharmaceutical
- Cosmetics
- Renewable energy (e.g., wind turbines)
- Construction
- Mining
- Railways
- Power generation
- Paper and pulp
- Plastic and rubber manufacturing
Why Say No to Synthetic Lubricants? Limitations of Synthetic Oil-based Lubes
Synthetic oils have dominated the industrial lubricant market for a very long time due to their special formulation to generate good performances. The reasons why the synthetic oils stand out are:
Thermal Stability: Synthetic oils are very effective in all types of weather, ranging from extreme hot weather to extreme cold weather.
Consistent Viscosity: Compared to other types of oils, synthetic oils remain thick, so that equipment cannot get affected, no matter how cold it is or how much it is overheated.
Longer Lifespan: Synthetic oils have a considerably longer service life as compared to traditional oils, therefore, they do not require frequent changes that save time and money.
Better Engineering: Due to their precision engineering, synthetic oils make great solutions for use in industries since they operate efficiently.
Despite these benefits, there are some drawbacks of the synthetic oils:
Environmental Impact: The biodegradability of synthetic oils is problematic because once these oils are released into the ecosystem, they are very slow to degrade.
Carbon Footprint: The production of synthetic oils includes complex processes that use more energy, often obtained from burning fossil energy. This emits greenhouse gases and affects the climate.
Pricing Issues: Synthetic oils are costly to produce and disposal of synthetic oils is tough as compared to the oils made from natural or renewable materials. This can make synthetic oils less affordable and harder to manage.
No matter how lucrative synthetic oils look in terms of performance, stability, or lifespan, their continuous use is not practical and the harm these oils inflict on the environment offset the benefits.
Industrial Lubricant Manufacturers Are Looking for Future-proof Products
As industries look for eco-friendly options, experts predict the market for castor oil-based bio-lubricants to grow a lot. Companies like Ambuja Solvex are working hard to create new castor oil products for industrial lubricants and coatings, which opens up more market opportunities.
Governments have also enforced strict measures to reduce pollution and encourage conservation. Castor oil is a renewable resource and helps manufacturers follow these rules and improve their environmental credibility.
Companies are changing how they work to meet sustainability goals and handle market ups and downs better.
Industries like aviation, heavy machinery, chemicals, paints, coatings, consumer goods, and packaging businesses need to look at where they get their raw materials. They’re now thinking about using industrial bio-oils!
More and more companies around the world are switching from man-made oils to bio-oils because they work just as well or even better. Castor oil is becoming more popular because it has special physical and chemical traits that set it apart from other common edible and non-edible oils. Castor oil is not only cost-effective, and environmentally friendly but also suitable for rough conditions because of its viscosity, and reduced heat capacity. These properties enhance equipment efficiency and reduce energy consumption.
Wrapping Up:
Castor oil manufacturers in India, like Ambuja Solvex, have a key role in making the oil available in the market worldwide. Ambuja Solvex, the leading castor oil manufacturing company in India, focuses on the production of good quality castor oil for lubricant manufacturers, and the industrial market. The castor oil products undergo rigorous testing to ensure their excellent performance.
Ambuja Solvex offers reliable castor oil supplies, utilizes current technology, and follows a steady structure to export excellent castor oil derivatives.
Therefore, we, Ambuja Solvex, are one of the trusted castor oil suppliers in India. While using our castor oil, you are making a good decision to create a better and greener world.
Join us to deliver innovations and bring sustainable development to the lubricant industry.
