Radia® fatty esters of methanol, propanol, butanol, octanol, etc., meet the most stringent requirements of the lubricants industry. They are lubricity improvers for steel, copper and aluminium rolling, they are widely used in neat oils and in emulsions for cutting, grinding and drilling operations. The reaction between fatty acids and glycerol or propylene glycol results in lubricants, recommended for food contact applications.
In metalworking the choice of the lubricant depends on its function. If lubrication is more important than cooling a neat oil will be used. If cooling is more important, water-soluble emulsions will be used, because water can take up 3 times more heat than oils. The high process temperatures also require high flashpoints and the lubricant may not cause staining of the processed metal.