Selection of a Base Vegetable Oil for the Development of a Biodegradable Lubricant Using the TOPSIS Method

Vegetable oils and animal fats are considered as base materials for the development of biodegradable lubricants. Classification of such materials was carried out using the Ward method based on the Euclidean distance, followed by refinement by the k-means method based on the physico–chemical properties. The selection of a material with the optimal characteristics was carried out using the TOPSIS method. Based on the calculated coefficients of relative closeness to an “ideal” material, a rating of lubricants was built, among which rapeseed oil is of the greatest interest. The comparative tribological characteristics of vegetable oils with the best ratings are presented. It is shown that vegetable oils are not inferior to mineral and synthetic oils. The ranking results can be used in further fundamental and applied research on the development of biodegradable lubricants.