Blown Oil Base Oils

Blown oil base oils have been developed over many years and include a diverse group of products based on castor oil, rapeseed oil and soyabean oil. Blown oils are also known as oxidised oils and oxidatively polymerised oils. They are manufactured to a specific viscosity specification ranging from 1 poise @ 25°C up to 1600 poise @ 25°C, depending on the oil type.

The oxidation process leads to chemically modified products containing polymerised triglyceride esters incorporating additional combined oxygen. Peroxide, hydroperoxide and hydroxyl groups are also present. The oxidation process also modifies properties such as specific gravity, solubility and reactivity.

Blown oils find uses in many lubricant applications including cutting fluids, rolling and metal working oils, drilling muds, two stoke engine oils, greases, wire drawing and chainsaw lubricants. They can be used as the base oil in formulations (possibly as full or partial replacement for mineral and synthetic oils), as additives, as thickeners or to give surface-active properties to the formulation. They can offer features such as lubricity, biodegradability, high flash point, thickening and low toxicity.