Lube-Tech PUBLISHED BY LUBE: THE EUROPEAN LUBRICANTS INDUSTRY MAGAZINE
opens the door for synthetic chemistry and genetic engineering approaches.
The biological foundation of this method lies in how plants synthesise fatty acids and lipids. In plant seeds, fatty acid biosynthesis happens through enzymatic pathways where each step is controlled by specific genes [6]. Fatty acid synthase complexes build initial 16 and 18 carbon chains, which then serve as a substrate for elongase enzymes that extend chain length, desaturase enzymes that introduce double bonds, and specialised enzymes that add functional groups such as hydroxyl branches [6]. Further, each enzyme corresponds to a gene’s code–the FAE1 (Fatty Acid Elongase 1) gene produces an elongase enzyme that extends 18 carbon oleic acid (C18:1) to 20 and 22 carbon chains [6]. By overexpressing or introducing specific elongase genes such as FAE1 into oilseed crops, researchers can shift the fatty acid identity from mainly C18 chains to possess longer- chain fatty acids (VCLFAs) like erucic acid (C22:1) and eicosenoic acid (C20:1) [6, 7]. This sequence of introducing or altering genes then enzymes can translate to predictable oil composition changes. Particular requirements for optimal tribology include longer chains for film strength, branched structures for cold-flow properties, and hydroxyl groups for polarity. These specifications can be engineered into the crop’s genetic makeup to significantly improve their viability.
The genomics to tribology framework operates on iterative, repetitive design compared to a single linear process. Tribologists identify performance requirements, such as a desired viscosity, oxidative stability, or wear protection level, and test oil candidates to determine which molecular features correlate to desired properties [5, 7]. The findings inform plant molecular biologists about which genes to modify or introduce; after engineering the crop and extracting the modified oil, tribological testing validates whether the genetic changes led to
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improvements or the intended level of performance [6, 7]. For instance, studies have shown that oils with higher VLCFA content, especially erucic acid, demonstrate improved friction reduction and wear protection at elevated temperatures compared to oils that are predominantly composed of shorter-chain fatty acids [7]. If results do not meet expectations, genetic modifications can simply be refined in the next crop generation. This establishes a feedback loop by continuously gathering empirical data to optimise, instead of a trial and error formulation. Additionally, this research requires close collaboration between relatively distant disciplines–tribology, plant genomics/biology, and metabolic engineering. Partnerships are crucial to advance this field [5, 6, 7].
Observably, this genetic design strategy offers several advantages over the traditional chemical modification approach. Once the iterative process determines a stable and effective genetically-enhanced line of plant species, producing the optimised oil only requires conventional gathering and extracting methods–no additional chemical additions are required, substantially increasing efficiency by cutting reoccurring costs and complexity [6]. The resulting products are inherently bio-based oils without synthetic additives, preserving its core feature of biodegradability while achieving better performance [5, 7]. Furthermore, three molecular targets have emerged as promising for genetically engineered lubricants. Succinctly, the three are very long chain fatty acids for coating strength, estolides for oxidative stability and crystallisation mitigation, and wax esters for extreme-pressure applications. Figure 3 details a diagram of this framework.
Very Long Chain Fatty Acids (VLCFAs) VLCFAs, especially C22:1 and C20:1, form more durable and robust lubricating films than C16 and C18 fatty acids that are predominantly in most conventional vegetable oils [7]. VLCFAs, by extending carbon chain length, substantially
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