SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS

The science of lubrication has developed slowly from the earliest use of oils and fats of animal or plant origin, such as tallow and castor oil, to the modern design of lubricants for a specific purpose. The slow evolution of scientific lubrication has been due in part to the complicated nature of lubrication and lubricants, and also to the need to concentrate on the development of lubricants to satisfy the requirements of new and improved mechanisms. Research into the nature of lubrication and the relation between composition and properties of lubricants has been limited by the production demands for more and better lubricants.