Vegetable oils as Triple Bottom Line compliant lubricants

Metal working fluids represent a threat for workers and for the environment. In this paper an innovative technological and preventive approach is presented relying on the substitution of the base fluids with natural vegetable oil based esters. The results confirmed similar or better technical features of these fluids and a significant reduction of air pollution in particular for polycyclic aromatics. An innovative selective hydrogenation process to improve the oxidative stability of rapeseed oil is also presented. In this way a very significant increase in the oxidative stability of the parent oil, determined by Rotary Bomb Oxidative Test, was observed. The hydrogenated oil is even more stable than High Oleic Sunflower Oil while keeping acceptable cold properties.