Base Number (BN) is a measurement of

basicity In chemistry, there are three definitions in common use of the word "base": ''Arrhenius bases'', ''Brønsted bases'', and ''Lewis bases''. All definitions agree that bases are substances that react with acids, as originally proposed by Guilla ...

that is expressed in terms of the number of milligrams of

potassium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula K OH, and is commonly called caustic potash. Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), KOH is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications, most of which utili ...

per gram of oil sample (mg KOH/g). BN is an important measurement in

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...

products, and the value varies depending on its application. BN generally ranges from 6–8 mg KOH/g in modern lubricants, 7–10 mg KOH/g for general

internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal comb ...

use and 10–15 mg KOH/g for

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...

operations. BN is typically higher for marine grade

lubricant A lubricant (sometimes shortened to lube) is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, ...

s, approximately 15-80 mg KOH/g, as the higher BN values are designed to increase the operating period under harsh operating conditions, before the lubricant requires replacement.

Oil Additives

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...

formulation consists of the base or stock oil and

oil additives Oil additives are chemical compounds that improve the lubricant performance of base oil (or oil "base stock"). The manufacturer of many oils can use the same base stock for each formulation and can choose different additives for each use. Additive ...

. Most oil formulations contain basic additives and detergents, designed to react with and neutralise acids,ASTM D2896-11, Standard Test Method for Base Number of Petroleum Products by Potentiometric Perchloric Acid Titration, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2011, Astm.org preventing damage to engine parts, including

corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...

of metal surfaces.

Potentiometric determination

Although IP Standard test methods exist, the more common methods for BN are ASTM standardised, such as the

potentiometric titration In analytical chemistry, potentiometric titration is a technique similar to direct titration of a redox reaction. It is a useful means of characterizing an acid. No indicator is used; instead the electric potential is measured across the analyte, ...

for fresh oils (Test method BN ASTM D2896). A sample is typically dissolved in a pre-mixed solvent of chlorobenzene and acetic acid and titrated with standardised perchloric acid in glacial acetic acid for fresh oil samples. The end point is detected using a glass electrode which is immersed in an aqueous solution containing the sample, and connected to a voltmeter/potentiometer. This causes an ion exchange in the outer solvated layer at the glass membrane, so a change in potential is generated which can be measured by the electrode. When the end point of the chemical reaction is reached, which is shown by an inflection point on the titration curve using a specified detection system, the amount of titrant required is used to generate a result which is reported in milligrams of potassium hydroxide equivalent per gram of sample (mg of KOH/g). Potentiometric titration for used oils (Test method BN ASTM D4739): a sample is dissolved in a solvent mixture of Toluene/ Propan-2-ol /Chloroform with 0.5% deionised water and then titrated with standardised alcoholic

hydrochloric acid Hydrochloric acid, also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salt, is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride (HCl). It is a colorless solution with a distinctive pungency, pungent smell. It is classified as a acid strength, strong acid. It is ...

. The detection system is equivalent to the fresh oil method. The used oil method uses a less polar solvent and weaker titrant, which will not dissolve the wear metals produced during operation, hence it is more suitable to analyse used oils.

Photometric determination

A colour-indicator titration, for example using test method ASTM D974, can be carried out to indicate relative changes that occur in an oil sample during its use under oxidising conditions. A sample is dissolved in a solvent mixture of Toluene/ Propan-2-ol with 0.5% deionised water. A methyl orange indicator is added and the solution is titrated using alcoholic potassium hydroxide. The end point is indicated by a colour change from orange to green.

Thermometric determination

In thermometric titrations, a constant addition rate of titrant equates to a constant amount of heat being given out or consumed, and hence a more or less constant temperature change up to the endpoint. In a titration, the titrant reacts with the analyte in the sample either exothermically or endothermically. The thermoprobe measures the temperature of the titrating solution. When all of the analyte in the sample has reacted with the titrant, the temperature of the solution will change, and the endpoint of the titration is revealed by an inflection in the temperature curve.Application Bulletin AB-405_1_EN Determination of the total base number in petroleum products An appropriate aliquot of the sample is pipetted directly into the titration vessel, and isobutyl vinyl ether and toluene solvent are added. The solution is then titrated with trifluoro methane sulfonic acid (TFMSA) to a single thermometric endpoint.

Conductometric determination

A conductometric titration method can also be used for the determination of the base number of petroleum products. A conductivity sensor is used to measure the conductivity of the analyte which allows the endpoint to be detected. It is suitable for both new and used products having base numbers from 1 mg to 40 mg KOH/g. A sample is dissolved in a solvent mixture of Toluene/ Propan-2-ol with 0.5% deionised water. A conductivity cell is placed in the titration vessel. The sample solution is titrated with alcoholic hydrochloric acid.

Spectroscopic determination

Mid-FTIR

spectroscopy Spectroscopy is the field of study that measures and interprets electromagnetic spectra. In narrower contexts, spectroscopy is the precise study of color as generalized from visible light to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. Spectro ...

can be used to rapidly and quantitatively determine the BN of hydrocarbon lubricating oils by spectroscopically measuring the carboxylate (COO-) functional group of the salt produced when trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) reacts with basic constituents present in an oil sample.

References

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External links

Oil Analysis
Analytical chemistry Motor oils