lithium stearate grease is a general purpose lubricating grease which can be used in automotive and other mechanical applications. It is made by thickening fatty acid soap with low-condensation point mineral oil and adding an antioxidant or the like, thus forming a long life multi-effect lubricating grease.
High oxidation stability (dropping point up to 200 degC) and high mechanical stability at low and high temperatures makes this a very durable lubricating grease. It is also very resistant to water and has excellent anti-rust properties.
It has excellent high and low temperature properties, and can be used in a wide range of temperature conditions from -30 deg C to 120 deg C. It is a very high-performance lubricant, which can withstand the extreme loads of high-speed and heavy-duty applications in motor vehicles, aircraft, and mechanical equipment.
These advantages of lithium stearate grease have led to its use in various lubricating mediums. For example, it is found to be particularly good for bearing lubrication in ball bearings and other machinery where a very fine lubrication is required.
However, it is well known that a grease containing lithium soap of a hydroxy stearic acid, and especially a lithium soap of 12-hydroxy stearic acid or hydrogenated castor oil, has a tendency to deteriorate in mechanical consistency under long periods of mechanical working. This difficulty can be overcome by kettle-cooling a smooth-textured lithium-stearate grease.
The kettle-cooled smooth-textured lithium stearate grease may contain from about 0.1 to about 1 percent by weight, based on the grease charge, of an aliphatic monohydric alcohol having 12 to 34 carbon atoms per molecule. These gel stabilizers prevent the loss of the elasticity of the microcrystalline waxes in the lithium-stearate grease.
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