Domestic researchers have secured eco-friendly lubricant oil production technology that can reduce carbon emissions by 35%.
A joint research team from the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) announced on the 6th that they have developed 'furan compounds' derived from biomass. Based on this technology, the research team has also secured production technology to create eco-friendly lubricant oil. The results of this study were selected as a cover article in the international journal 'Green Chemistry' in January.
Lubricants are essential materials that reduce friction between mechanical parts and dissipate heat, with base oil being the main raw material. In other words, the quality of base oil, which accounts for more than 80% of lubricants, is the key factor determining lubricant performance.
Currently, widely used ester lubricants are resistant to heat and oxidation, but they have the drawback of carbon emissions during the manufacturing process and require additional refining processes. As a result, the development of eco-friendly lubricant oil has been continuously demanded.
In response, lead researcher Kim Yong-jin's team at KITECH developed technology to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) from plant-derived biomass and convert that into tetrahydrofuran dimethanol (THFDM), a key raw material for lubricant oil. The team also succeeded in synthesizing furan-based diester compounds using THFDM and carbon chains and fatty acids extracted from vegetable oils.
The joint research team, led by POSTECH Professor Han Ji-hoon, conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impact of the product, which showed a 35% reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional fossil fuel-based lubricants. However, the economic analysis indicated that the price of furan-based diester lubricants was about 32% higher than that of synthetic lubricants.
Lead researcher Kim Yong-jin noted, "By developing an integrated process using a new co-solvent to lower production expenses, we have achieved competitive pricing comparable to petroleum-based lubricants," and added, "The developed furan-based diester compounds, made entirely from 100% biomass-derived materials, are expected to have great applicability in the shipping sector, where environmental regulations are becoming more stringent."
Reference material
Green Chemistry (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC04191G