Cadmium

[DavoNF]

I've done a search and can't find anything. An oil I use has included in it specs, Cadmium at 0.281 mass %. What is the purpose of cadmium in an oil? Thanks Dave

 

[Pablo]

It's probably there as an AW agent. But that seems like a lot, and wow, last I heard Cd was on not so good for humans and other lower forms of life. What brand of oil?

 

[Motorbike]

Cadmium also is an element used in Babbit Bearings . Babbit material compositions . http://orion-corp.com/TechnicalLibrary/articles/babbit.asp Babbit performance characteristics of sleeved bearings . http://orion-corp.com/TechnicalLibrary/articles/performance.asp here's some info on bearing lubrication with clickies throughout . http://www.oilmaintenance.com/ml/200109/sleeve.asp and a last link showing pics of various problems associated with bearing alignment and lube failure to include bearing swipe . http://www.sacskyranch.com/eng219.htm [ January 18, 2004, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: Motorbike ]

 

[JohnBrowning]

Cadmium is a heavy metal like lead. It is highly toxic. It is in cigarete as well.They dust the tabaco leaves with cadnium to prevent insects from eating the crop. It used to be used as a comon plateing material to prevent corrision on parts. If anyone one a car from the 50,60 or early 70 anything that looked gold especialy hood hinges and hood springs were cadnium plated. It is also still used in cat. converters. While you see it bearings it has fallen out of facvor in many applications because of disposal fees and health costs to employees. Makes me wounder what is next? Maybe we can put some berillium or depleted uranium in the oil?? [ January 18, 2004, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: JohnBrowning ]

 

[Pablo]

JB in a sick kind of way... I mean there's Neo with Pb as an add, now Cd in this oil. And people are all worked up about suspected P and Zn poisoning cats? Lot's of iron(y) here. Sorry.

 

[leonli]

That much Cadmium in oil makes the oil hazardous waste when come to dump it, I would avoid using that oil. Cadmium is a cancer-causing agent (Carcinogen). However, Cadmium has many desirable properties: 1. Corrosion protection it is an active metal, and it provide sacrificial corrosion protection. It is still used for military and aerospace applications (not much for civilian use due to its toxicity). Cadmium plating is sliver in color, it is often dipped in hexechrome solution (di-chromate process) to give it added protection, the plating will become oliver-drab in color. 2. Anti-bacteria or fungus This is due to it toxicity, military likes it because the weapon will neither corrode or grow fungus even in humid/hot condition, plus its green color blend in with the rest of the equipment too. 3. Lubricity the metal itself is slippery, if you rob your finger again the metal, you can feel this property. This is excellent when come to installation, say push bearing into its housing, thread in parts, etc. If it gets into your engine, it will help lubricate parts definitely, but probably it has been banned as an oil additive.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Cadmium is a cancer-causing agent (Carcinogen). However, Cadmium has many desirable properties: 1. Corrosion protection it is an active metal, and it provide sacrificial corrosion protection. It is still used for military and aerospace applications (not much for civilian use due to its toxicity).

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The miltary is trying to get rid of cadmium too. When I retired 6 years ago it was almost completely out of new close combat vehicle (tanks, etc) design. I can't think of anyplace it was being used in new work on ground vehicles, don't know how completely they have gotten rid of it in new aerospace work but expect they are being strongly encouraged to avoid it.

quote:

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3. Lubricity the metal itself is slippery, if you rob your finger again the metal, you can feel this property. This is excellent when come to installation, say push bearing into its housing, thread in parts, etc.

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That was one of the problems in getting rid of it. The lubricity is different enough that critically torqued fasteners really should have different torque callouts depending on whether they have cad or zinc plating. The problem is compounded by the fact that once fasteners are in the military inventory, there is no way to tell cad plated from zinc plated fasteners. Eventually it was decided that the problem was too difficult to solve so was ignored. There haven't been many problems.