SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 December 2022
STP163420210007

The Identification of Lubricating Grease Components Using MALDI-TOF

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Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) has historically been used in the pharmaceutical industry as a way of identifying drugs and performing drug metabolism studies. The use of MALDI-TOF analysis on greases can provide detailed information on its chemical makeup and show subtle formulation differences between similar greases where analytical methods, such as Fourier-transform infrared and elemental spectroscopy, are insufficient. MALDI-TOF uses a laser to excite the sample, causing the molecules to ionize and accelerate toward the detector. The amount of time needed to reach the detector indicates the ratio of molecular weight to charge. The detector plots the mass-to-charge ratios (m/z) as a spectrum, and from here the molecules can be identified depending on their m/z and intensity. Grease is made up of a unique combination of base oil, thickener, and additives, optimized for its specific function. Using MALDI-TOF, these differences can be identified and compared between similar greases. By creating a library of greases with various base oils, thickeners, and additives, greases may be compared to known components.

Author Information

Rohrbaugh, Nathan, M.
MRG Laboratories, York, PA, US
Kletzing, Dylan, M.
MRG Laboratories, York, PA, US
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Pages: 256–265
DOI: 10.1520/STP163420210007
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7715-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7714-7