The Lubrizol Corporation

A New and Efficient Way to Make Simple and Complex Lithium Greases
By Ping Zhu, The Lubrizol Corporation

Lubrizol 5280GR
ew technology Lubrizol 5280GR is available for making lithium and lithium-complex greases in a variety of base oils, ranging from mineral to polyalphaolefins to esters to vegetable oils. It revolutionizes the grease-making process, offering significant benefits every step along the manufacturing process. Coming from Lubrizol, you would assume

that Lubrizol 5280GR is an additive. But actually its not. Rather, it is a dispersion of micron-sized anhydrous lithium hydroxide solid in oil, designed to be used in making lithium and lithium-complex greases. The conventional soap manufacturing process typically uses either lithium hydroxide monohydrate solid or lithium hydroxide monohydrate water slurry. The process is lengthy, energy consuming and frequently posts a foaming hazard during saponification. The highly engineered Lubrizol 5280GR enables a more efficient manufacturing process for making lithium and lithium-complex greases.

Helps Save Energy, Time, Valuable Resources and Money

Compared to conventional lithium hydroxide monohydrate, lithium hydroxide particles in Lubrizol 5280GR are about 100 times smaller and in anhydrous form. Smaller particle sizes expose a larger total surface area, greatly enhancing reactivity. Faster saponification and almost waterless reaction lowers overall energy consumption and reduces foaming hazard during the grease-making process. Furthermore, its shorter manufacturing cycle time improves manufacturing capacity without the need to alter or add to existing equipment. Because Lubrizol 5280GR is pumpable, manufacturers have significantly greater control over the amount of lithium hydroxide metered into the reaction. This eliminates the need for employees to handle dusty, hazardous lithium hydroxide solid or to add it as a slurry in water. Lubrizol 5280GR is stable in storage and shows no evidence of reacting to carbon dioxide and moisture in the air.
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Coming from Lubrizol, you would assume that Lubrizol 5280GR is an additive. But actually its not.
Detailed benefits: 1. Cost savings. Shorter production time (in laboratory trials, up to 60 percent manufacturing time savings is achievable, see Figures 1 and 2), increased capacity with existing equipment and lower unit manufacturing cost. Lower peak reaction temperature and less water removal also convert to energy savings. Consistent, high quality product means less costly rework. 2. Faster soap manufacture. The smaller particle sizes and the larger surface areas greatly enhance reactivity. Because acid and base both are present in the oil phase, saponification is quicker, and there is no added water to remove. 3. Increased throughput with existing equipment. Because the manufacturing cycle is shorter, more batches can be made. In addition, since foaming is reduced, slightly larger batches can be made. 4. Operational advantages. Lubrizol
Figure 1

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The Lubrizol Corporation

5280GR is safer to handle compared to conventional lithium hydroxide monohydrate. As a liquid, it comes in drums or in bulk; there are no dusty waste sacks to dispose. There also is no need to have a special vessel for premixing to produce a water and lithium hydroxide monohydrate slurry. Less waste oil needing disposal and less steam during soap manufacture also are benefits. 5. Quality. The bottom line is that high quality, more consistent greases can be produced. The simple procedure using Lubrizol 5280GR enables plants with basic grease kettles to make quality lithium and lithiumcomplex greases. 6. Single step process. Conventional lithium-complex greases typically are made in a two step process where the lithium 12hydroxystearate is produced in an excessive amount of lithium hydroxide monohydrate. The mixture is cooled, the complexing acid is added and the second saponification ocFigure 2

curs. Lubrizol 5280GR enables a reliable, single step process for making lithium-complex grease. This greatly simplifies the manufacturing procedure and drastically reduces the production time. 7. Saponification in ester or vegetable oils. Lubrizol 5280GR is proven to be effective in making lithium and lithium-complex soaps in esters and vegetable oils. This is not possible for a conventional lithium hydroxide monohydrate process where hydrolysis of ester or vegetable oils during saponification is a major concern. Lithium and lithium-complex greases made with Lubrizol 5280GR exhibit good penetration and a high dropping point. Process benefits are even more significant when Lubrizol 5280GR is used in making PAO-based greases, as these typically require a higher amount of thickener to achieve the same grease consistency as a mineral oil-based grease. I

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