Hydro Lubricant technology could mean topping up gearboxes with water.
The latest lubricant? Image: Commons |
German-based Klüber Lubrication has developed a water-based lubricant.
The lube forms a homogeneous solution with water-soluble oils and "is sustainable, globally available, non-toxic and non-flammable”, according to Dr Stefan Seemeyer, Klüber’s head of research and product development.
With water's limitations such as evaporation and freezing points, it has been of little use as an industrial or vehicle lubricant until now. Water-soluble substances are not usually soluble in oil, but the use of additives as part of the technical process has meant Klüber has been able to make water a usable element within the lubricant itself.
The addition of these other ingredients allows for enhanced cooling or much lower friction, leading to energy savings from the water-based product.
Initially the product is being used for conveyor belts, but the company is looking at multiple applications and has even suggested that the properties of water - such as its electrical conductivity - may mean water-based lubricants could play a role in electric transport development.