A substance capable of reducing friction by making surfaces smooth or slippery; SYN. lubricator, lubricating substance.
Substance used between moving surfaces to reduce friction. Carbon-based (organic) lubricants, commonly called grease and oil, are recovered from petroleum distillation.
/> Extensive research has been carried out on chemical additives to lubricants, which can reduce corrosive wear, prevent the accumulation of “cold sludge” (often the result of stop-start driving in city traffic jams), keep pace with the higher working temperatures of aviation gas turbines, or provide radiation-resistant greases for nuclear power plants. Silicon-based spray-on lubricants are also used; they tend to attract dust and dirt less than carbon-based ones.
A solid lubricant is graphite, an allotropic form of carbon, either flaked or emulsified (colloidal) in water or oil.