• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.434-443
• /
• 2023

We have investigated the performance improvement of grease by synthesizing calcium sulfonate grease as an alternative to lithium grease, which is widely used globally. Since the composition ratio of the grease, when manufactured, is usually 50% base oil and 50% thickener, using grease as a lubricant in a cryogenic environment is not encouraged due to its inferior low-temperature performance. In this study, we have synthesized three types of calcium sulfonate grease with paraffin oil and PAO-based base oil and thickener. Furthermore, lithium grease was synthesized via saponification with PAO-based base oil, lithium hydroxide, 12-hydroxystearic acid, and sebacic acid. We have measured low-temperature characteristics using a rheometer and low-temperature torque meter, and tribology characteristics were obtained using a four-ball lubricant tester and schwingung reibung verschleiß (SRV). As a result, the flow point of the calcium sulfonate grease synthesized with a PAO-based base oil and thickener was found to be -40℃, overcoming the existing calcium sulfonate grease's low-temperature limitation. Moreover, the synthesized calcium sulfonate grease showed low-temperature performance similar to that of lithium grease synthesized with PAO base oil, but superior anti-wear, extreme pressure, coefficient of friction, heat resistance, adhesion, and corrosion resistance. It is thus expected to commercially replace the existing lithium grease.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.7
• /
• pp.8-15
• /
• 2019

In this study, we synthesized a calcium sulfonate complex grease and a lithium complex grease to investigate their physical, rheological and tribological properties. The thermal stability of the calcium sulfonate was higher than $300^{\circ}C$ and the lithium complex grease was $245^{\circ}C$ in the dropping point test. In the grease viscosity measurement, the calcium sulfonate complex grease was measured as $7.0Pa{\cdot}s$ and the lithium complex grease was as $4.5Pa{\cdot}s$. Therefore, it was confirmed that the calcium sulfonate complex grease is superior to the lithium complex grease in terms of thermal stability and cohesiveness. In the 4-ball wear test, the calcium sulfonate complex grease was measured to be 0.43 mm and the lithium complex grease to 0.85 mm. In the 4-ball extreme pressure test, calcium sulfonate complex grease was measured as 620 kgf and the lithium complex grease was as 125 kgf. Therefore, it was confirmed that the calcium sulfonate complex grease is superior to the lithium complex grease in abrasion resistance and load-bearing property. It was found that the calcium sulfonate complex grease is more effective than the lithium complex grease in the lubrication at high temperature and high load.