Renewable processes of synthesis of biolubricants catalyzed by lipases

In recent years, the demand for sustainable energy resources has grown more and more, and with that, researchers around the world have been working to develop green technologies and products. Thus, biolubricants have emerged as a promising alternative to petroleum-derived lubricants, as they are characterized as fatty alcohol esters derived from vegetable oil. Therefore, they are biodegradable, non-toxic and guarantee easy disposal in the environment. Thus, some alternatives for its production have been studied. Among them, the use of enzymatic biocatalysts, mainly of the lipase class, offers an excellent alternative, as their reactions generally allow more significant energy efficiency and produce less waste than the conventional routes of chemical catalysts. Therefore, based on studies described in the literature, this article seeks to address the different aspects of the production of biolubricants catalyzed by lipases, highlighting the different reactions and sources of raw materials and presenting alternatives to improve these process protocols: enzymatic immobilization, alcohols and bioreactors. • The use of lipases in synthesizing biolubricant offers a cleaner alternative than chemical catalysts. • Enzymatic transesterification is an alternative technique for the production of high-performance biolubricants. • Biocatalysts produced without support have attracted attention to biolubricants synthesis. • The enzymatic synthesis of lubricant must continue to be carried out to balance production and expenditure. • The application of lipases produces cleaner biolubricants, reducing costs and making them more sustainable.