A method of making an overbased calcium sulfonate or calcium magnesium sulfonate grease using one or more delay periods between the addition of at least a portion of a facilitating acid, such as DDBSA, and at least a portion of the next subsequently added ingredient. The delay period may be a temperature adjustment delay or a holding delay period. An overbased calcium sulfonate or calcium magnesium sulfonate grease composition comprises 0.5%-5% of a facilitating acid, allows for a reduced amount of overbased calcium sulfonate below 22%, and allows for a reduced amount of calcium hydroxyapatite to provide 10-25% of hydroxide equivalent basicity of the total hydroxide equivalent basicity due to calcium hydroxyapatite and added calcium hydroxide, while maintaining a high dropping point.

An overbased calcium magnesium sulfonate grease composition and method of making such grease without using any conventional non-aqueous converting agents, such as hexylene glycol, as a pre-conversion ingredient. The addition of magnesium sulfonate as an ingredient prior to conversion appears to act as a new, non-conventional converting agent, resulting in greases with improved thickener yield and excellent dropping point.

An overbased calcium magnesium sulfonate grease composition and method of manufacture comprising both overbased calcium sulfonate and overbased magnesium sulfonate in a ratio range of 60:40 to 100:1. The grease is made according to any known method for making an overbased calcium sulfonate grease by using the overbased magnesium sulfonate in addition to the overbased calcium sulfonate. A portion of the magnesium sulfonate may be added prior to conversion and another portion after conversion, with or without one or more delay periods between the addition of water or other reactive ingredient and the addition of magnesium sulfonate. The grease can be made using calcium hydroxyapatite and/or added calcium carbonate as calcium containing bases for reacting with complexing acids, a non-aqueous converting agent delay method, added alkali metal hydroxide, or any combination thereof. The grease has a high dropping point and reduced thickener yield.

The present invention relates to light color, shelf-stable liquid compositions of overbased calcium carboxylate soaps and a process for their preparation. The inventive soaps are prepared by neutralizing calcium base in a mixture of two different aliphatic carboxylic acids and carbonating the mixture in the presence of a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent and a polar organic solvent as a promoter under controlled temperature conditions. The overbased calcium carboxylate soaps of the invention contain 20%-90% by weight of C.sub.7 to C.sub.25 saturated carboxylic acids, which are branched on carbon 2, and between 1% and 20% by weight short chain saturated carboxylic acids. These liquid compositions have light colors and excellent heat stability. They can be used as anticorrosion/antirust additives, and paint dryers and stabilizers, in paints, coatings and lubricants, as well as other applications.

The present invention relates to light color, shelf-stable liquid compositions of overbased calcium carboxylate soaps and a process for their preparation. The inventive soaps are prepared by neutralizing calcium base in a mixture of two different aliphatic carboxylic acids and carbonating the mixture in the presence of a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent and a polar organic solvent as a promoter under controlled temperature conditions. The overbased calcium carboxylate soaps of the invention contain 20%-90% by weight of C.sub.7 to C.sub.25 saturated carboxylic acids, which are branched on carbon 2, and between 1% and 20% by weight short chain saturated carboxylic acids. These liquid compositions have light colors and excellent heat stability. They can be used as anticorrosion/antirust additives, and paint dryers and stabilizers, in paints, coatings and lubricants, as well as other applications.

An overbased calcium sulfonate grease composition and method of manufacture comprising added alkali metal hydroxide alone or in combination with (a) calcium hydroxyapatite and/or added calcium carbonate used as calcium containing bases for reacting with complexing acids) and/or (b) at least one delay period between the addition of water as a converting agent and addition of a portion of a non-aqueous converting agent. A delay period may involve the period of time it takes to adjust the temperature of the mixture, a period of time during which the mixture is held at a temperature or within a range of temperatures, and multiples and any combination thereof. These calcium sulfonate greases have improved thickener yield and high dropping points compared to greases made without added alkali metal hydroxide and delay between the additions of water and a non-aqueous converting agent, particularly when a poor quality overbased calcium sulfonate is used.

An overbased calcium sulfonate grease composition and method of manufacture comprising added alkali metal hydroxide alone or in combination with (a) calcium hydroxyapatite and/or added calcium carbonate used as calcium containing bases for reacting with complexing acids) and/or (b) at least one delay period between the addition of water as a converting agent and addition of a portion of a non-aqueous converting agent. A delay period may involve the period of time it takes to adjust the temperature of the mixture, a period of time during which the mixture is held at a temperature or within a range of temperatures, and multiples and any combination thereof. These calcium sulfonate greases have improved thickener yield and high dropping points compared to greases made without added alkali metal hydroxide and delay between the additions of water and a non-aqueous converting agent, particularly when a poor quality overbased calcium sulfonate is used.

A method of manufacturing an overbased calcium sulfonate grease comprising a reduced amount of overbased calcium sulfonate, water and at least one non-aqueous converting agent, where at least a portion of the non-aqueous converting agent is added after one or more delay periods relative to the addition of the water. A delay period may involve the period of time it takes to adjust the temperature of the mixture, a period of time during which the mixture is held at a temperature or within a range of temperatures, and multiples and any combination thereof. These calcium sulfonate greases have improved thickener yield and high dropping points compared to greases of substantially similar composition made without a delay between the additions of water and a non-aqueous converting agent, particularly when a poor quality overbased calcium sulfonate is used.

A method of manufacturing an overbased calcium sulfonate grease comprising a reduced amount of overbased calcium sulfonate, water and at least one non-aqueous converting agent, where at least a portion of the non-aqueous converting agent is added after one or more delay periods relative to the addition of the water. A delay period may involve the period of time it takes to adjust the temperature of the mixture, a period of time during which the mixture is held at a temperature or within a range of temperatures, and multiples and any combination thereof. These calcium sulfonate greases have improved thickener yield and high dropping points compared to greases of substantially similar composition made without a delay between the additions of water and a non-aqueous converting agent, particularly when a poor quality overbased calcium sulfonate is used.

Grease wear test device includes a body in a form of a collar having an outer surface, a first side and an opposing second side, which are open to form a hollow, open channel through the body, which has a center axis, into which opposing vee blocks can be inserted; and perpendicular to the center axis, a pair of opposing holes through and open to the outer surface of the body and the cylindrical inside wall, through which a cylindrical test journal (falex pin) can be inserted for contact in general with opposing vee-shaped channels of the inserted, opposing vee blocks, and for rotation during testing. The device can be used to modify a falex pin and vee block device, to receive and contain a small sample of grease or another organic paste product for testing such as a modified version of an ASTM D2670 test method for measuring wear properties of fluid lubricants (falex pin and vee block method).