What Category Does Engine Oil Belong To?
1 Answers
Engine oil belongs to the category of lubricants. Engines generally use three types: conventional mineral oil, semi-synthetic oil, and full synthetic oil. Based on their base oil, engine oils in the market can be divided into two categories: mineral oil and synthetic oil (vegetable oil is not considered due to its scarcity). Synthetic oils are further classified into full synthetic and semi-synthetic, with full synthetic oil being the highest grade. Here is a related introduction: 1. Mineral Oil: Mineral oil is a commonly used lubricant in the market. It is derived from the refining process of petroleum, where useful substances like gasoline and aviation fuel are distilled, and the remaining base oil is further processed. Essentially, mineral oil is inexpensive, but its service life and lubrication performance are inferior to synthetic oil, and it also causes significant environmental pollution. 2. Semi-Synthetic Oil: Semi-synthetic oil is made from semi-synthetic base oil, which is a product of refining mineral oil through hydrocracking technology. It is a blend of mineral oil and full synthetic oil in a 4:6 ratio. The purity of semi-synthetic oil is very close to that of full synthetic oil, but its cost is slightly higher than mineral oil, making it an ideal transitional product from mineral oil to synthetic oil. 3. Full Synthetic Oil: Full synthetic oil is the highest-grade oil among engine oils. It is derived from ethylene and propylene dispersed from natural gas or crude oil, which undergo polymerization, catalysis, and other complex chemical reactions to form a lubricating fluid composed of large molecules. Essentially, it utilizes the better components of crude oil, undergoes chemical reactions, and achieves the desired molecular structure under human control. Full synthetic oil has neatly arranged molecules, giving it strong resistance to external variables. Therefore, it has superior properties, such as better thermal stability, oxidation resistance, and viscosity stability, far exceeding those of mineral oil and semi-synthetic oil.
