Lubricants & Greases Analysis and Testing
Composition analysis, deformulation, base oil identification, additive characterization and chemical abnormality investigation for lubricating oils, greases, metalworking fluids and in-service lubricant samples.
Xinbodi Laboratories develops customized analytical workflows according to the lubricant type, sample condition and project objective. By combining sample separation, chromatography, spectroscopy, elemental analysis and technical interpretation, we help clients understand lubricant formulations, compare suppliers, identify unknown components and investigate composition-related abnormalities.
Lubricants & Greases Product We Analyze
Automotive & Transportation Lubricants
Engine oils, Automotive gear oils, Transmission fluids, Motorcycle oils, Marine lubricants, Heavy-duty diesel engine oils, Drivetrain lubricants, Automotive lubricating greases
Industrial Lubricants & Functional Fluids
Hydraulic fluids, Industrial gear oils, Compressor oils, Turbine oils, Circulating oils, Slideway oils, Spindle oils, Vacuum pump oils, Heat transfer fluids, Transformer and insulating oils
Lubricating Greases
Industrial greases, Automotive greases, High-temperature greases, Lithium-based greases, Lithium complex greases, Calcium-based greases, Calcium sulfonate complex greases, Polyurea greases, Synthetic greases, Specialty lubricating greases
Metalworking & Metal Protection Fluids
Cutting fluids, Neat cutting oils, Water-miscible metalworking fluids, Grinding fluids Machining coolants, Metal forming lubricants, Drawing lubricants, Rolling oils, Quenching oils, Rust preventives, Corrosion preventive oils
Base Oils, Additives & Additive Packages
Mineral base oils, Synthetic base fluids, Polyalphaolefins, Ester base fluids, Silicone oils, Antiwear additives, Extreme-pressure additives, Antioxidants, Detergents and dispersants, Corrosion and rust inhibitors, Viscosity index improvers, Pour point depressants, Antifoam additives, Friction modifiers, Lubricant additive packages
Used Lubricants, Deposits & Contaminants
In-service lubricating oils, Used oils, Used greases, Lubricant sludge, Varnish-like deposits, Filter deposits, Equipment deposits, Wear-related particles, Corrosion products, Foreign contaminants, Oxidation and degradation products, Water-contaminated lubricant samples
Common Analysis Needs
Analyze complete lubricating oil, grease and metalworking-fluid formulations through sample separation, multi-method characterization and integrated data interpretation.
Our work may include:
- Major component identification
- Base oil and base-fluid characterization
- Additive package analysis
- Grease thickener identification
- Organic and inorganic composition analysis
- Quantitative or semi-quantitative analysis
- Competitor product comparison
- Lubricant deformulation
- Product reverse engineering support
- Formulation reconstruction recommendations
The results can support competitor research, new product development, cost optimization, supplier replacement and local material substitution.
Identify lubricant raw materials, unknown additives and the principal formulation components in oils and greases.
Typical analytical targets include:
- Mineral base oils
- Polyalphaolefin base fluids
- Ester base fluids
- Silicone oils
- Hydrocarbon base fluids
- Lithium-based thickeners
- Calcium-based thickeners
- Polyurea thickeners
- Antiwear additives
- Extreme-pressure additives
- Antioxidants
- Detergents and dispersants
- Corrosion inhibitors
- Polymeric viscosity modifiers
- Other unknown functional additives
The achievable identification level depends on sample complexity, component concentration and available reference information.
Identify or quantify a specified additive, contaminant, element or defined class of lubricant components according to the project objective.
Typical targets include:
- Specific antioxidant compounds
- Antiwear additives
- Extreme-pressure additive components
- Corrosion inhibitors
- Organic phosphorus compounds
- Sulfur-containing components
- Additive-related metals
- Trace contaminants
- Residual solvents
- Selected degradation products
- Chloride and other ionic contaminants
Quantitative results may be provided when suitable analytical methods and reference standards are available.
Compare lubricants or greases from different suppliers, production batches, product versions or sample conditions.
Typical projects include:
- Supplier-to-supplier comparison
- Batch-to-batch comparison
- Target versus competitor product
- Original versus replacement lubricant
- Imported versus locally sourced product
- Approved versus suspect material
- New versus aged lubricant
- Normal versus abnormal sample
- Base oil chemistry
- Additive fingerprints
- Thickener systems
- Organic component profiles
- Elemental composition
Analyze lubricants collected from operating equipment to identify chemical changes, contamination, additive-related differences and degradation products.
Typical analytical objectives include:
- Base oil composition changes
- Oxidation-related compounds
- Additive depletion or transformation
- Fuel or solvent contamination
- Water-related contamination indicators
- Wear-related elements
- External organic contamination
- Inorganic contamination
- Sludge and varnish composition
- Comparison with new or reference lubricant
The analysis focuses on chemical composition and material differences. A new, unused or known-good lubricant sample is strongly recommended for comparative interpretation.
Identify unknown materials and investigate chemical composition differences associated with abnormal lubricants, greases or lubrication-system residues.
Typical samples and problems include:
- Unexpected sediment or precipitate
- Lubricant sludge
- Varnish-like deposits
- Filter deposits
- Carbonaceous deposits
- Additive precipitation
- Abnormal color or odor
- Corrosion-related residues
- Wear-related particles
- Foreign organic materials
- Mineral and inorganic contamination
- Storage-related degradation products
- Supplier-related formulation differences
Our Customized Analytical Workflow
1. Project and Sample Review
Review the lubricant type, product application, known formulation information, sample condition, comparison samples and the technical question to be answered.
2. Sample Separation and Pretreatment
Separate base oil, additive, thickener, volatile, insoluble and inorganic fractions where necessary.
For deposit or contaminant projects, the unknown material may be isolated from the lubricant before further characterization.
3. Instrumental Characterization
Select complementary analytical methods to evaluate base fluids, additives, thickeners, organic components, elements, ions, particles and degradation-related substances.
4. Targeted Verification and Comparison
Use reference standards, new lubricant samples, approved products, supplier samples or competitor materials to verify key components and compare meaningful differences.
5. Integrated Reporting
Provide analytical findings, supporting evidence, quantitative or semi-quantitative information where feasible, comparison conclusions and project-specific technical interpretation.
Testing Methods for Lubricants & Greases Product Analysis
Xinbodi selects analytical techniques according to the lubricant type, sample condition, target component and project objective. Multiple methods may be combined for sample separation, component identification, structural characterization, quantification and cross-verification.
- FTIR / ATR-FTIR
Base oil screening, additive fingerprints, grease thickener identification, oxidation-related differences and deposit characterization. - GC-MS / Headspace GC-MS
Volatile components, light hydrocarbon fractions, solvents, fuel-related contamination, odor-causing compounds and degradation products. - HPLC / LC-MS
Non-volatile lubricant additives, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, polar components and selected degradation products. - NMR
Base-fluid characterization, molecular structure confirmation, raw material identification and selected component-ratio estimation. - Py-GC-MS
Polymeric viscosity modifiers, high-molecular-weight additives, grease-related organic components and insoluble organic residues. - GPC
Molecular-weight distribution of polymeric viscosity modifiers, tackifiers and other polymeric lubricant additives. - ICP-MS / ICP-OES
Additive-related elements, wear-related metals, trace contamination and corrosion-related elemental analysis. - XRF
Elemental screening of additive packages, grease residues, deposits and inorganic contaminants. - SEM-EDS
Wear-related particles, foreign matter, filter deposits and localized elemental composition. - XRD
Crystalline thickener components, corrosion products, mineral particles and inorganic contaminants. - TGA / DSC
Oil–thickener composition, volatile loss, decomposition profiles and comparative characterization of lubricant or grease samples. - Ion Chromatography
Chloride, sulfate and other water-soluble ionic contaminants in lubricants, deposits and related samples. - Raman Spectroscopy
Carbonaceous deposits, solid lubricant components, corrosion products and localized residue characterization.
Typical Questions We Help Answer
- What base oil or base-fluid type is used in this lubricant?
- Which additive groups are present in this engine oil or gear oil?
- What thickener system is used in this lubricating grease?
- What are the major components in this metalworking fluid?
- Can a lubricant or grease be deformulated?
- Can the analytical results support product reverse engineering?
- Can a competitor formulation be analyzed for product development?
- Are two supplier products compositionally equivalent?
- What chemical differences exist between the original and replacement lubricant?
- Has the lubricant undergone chemical degradation during use?
- Have the additive package or base oil composition changed?
- What is the composition of the sediment or separated material?
- What caused sludge or varnish-like deposits?
- Are abnormal particles related to wear, corrosion or external contamination?
- What is the composition of a filter or equipment deposit?
- Are unexpected solvents, metals or inorganic contaminants present?
- Can a specific additive or contaminant be quantified?
- Does a locally sourced lubricant match the imported reference product?
- Why has the sample developed an abnormal color or odor?
- What chemical differences exist between two grease products?
Standard projects: 5–10 working days
Rush service may be available depending on scope.
FAQs
Can you test both new and used oils?
Yes. For used oils, context (service time, system type, top-ups) improves interpretation. Scope may be project-dependent.
Do you provide pass/fail reporting to a spec?
Yes—if you provide your acceptance limits and method preferences, we can align the report accordingly.
Can you identify the cause of sludge, varnish, or deposits?
Often yes. We combine residue chemistry (FTIR/Raman/Py-GC/MS) with elemental screening and particle analysis to identify likely sources.
What’s the best way to compare supplier equivalency?
A structured panel typically includes viscosity + fingerprint overlays (FTIR/GC) and targeted checks for key contaminants or additive signatures.
How important is a reference sample?
Very. A known-good lot (or new oil) makes difference analysis faster and more defensible.
Can you analyze wear particles?
Yes. SEM-EDS is commonly used to classify wear debris and differentiate wear vs contamination vs degradation-related solids.