METHODS OF THE MODIFICATION OF VEGETABLE OILS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN BASE OILS

The research results were presented concerning the development of vegetable oil modification in order to obtain a base oil with desired physicochemical properties allowing the use of such oils as the base oil in pro-ecological lubricating agents. The possibilities to modify vegetable oil to obtain base oils with a higher viscosity class were presented. The process consisted of the oxidation of oils with oxygen in the presence of NHPI as a catalyst and with the use of supercritical carbon dioxide. The influence of temperature, catalyst amount, oxygen pressure, and amount of carbon dioxide in the rape-seed oil modification process were studied. As a result of vegetable oil modification, base oils with viscosity values higher than oil without modification were obtained. The significant influence of the conditions of the process carried out in a pure oxygen atmosphere and in supercritical carbon dioxide conditions was found. It was observed that it is possible to control lubricating properties of oil intended as base oil for a lubricating agent, if the process is carried out in an oxygen atmosphere and in the presence of carbon dioxide. A product with purposely changed properties in comparison with the properties of initial oil is the effect of modification.