Rheology of synthetic lubricating oils

A lubricating fluid's flow characteristics are affected by fluid deformation resulting from the action of mechanical forces: flow resistance, dissipation of mechanical energy, transfer and dampening of mechanical disturbances. These in turn affect the lubricating ability of the fluid through energy absorption, power transfer and other properties. Synthetic fluids can display various thixotropic characteristics and non-Newtonian effects. In this paper, experimental work on these phenomena are reported.