What are grease thickeners made from?

Grease thickeners are substances dispersed in a liquid lubricant, such as petroleum oil or synthetic fluid, to create a solid or semisolid grease. These thickeners are generally categorized into soap-based and nonsoap-based materials:12

• Soap-based thickeners: These are primarily metallic soaps, which are salts of a monocarboxylic acid and a metal. Common metallic soaps used as thickeners include those based on aluminum, barium, calcium, lithium, sodium, and strontium.32
• Nonsoap-based thickeners: These consist of various inorganic or organic compounds. Inorganic thickeners include materials such as modified clays or fine silicas. Organic thickeners include substances such as arylureas or phthalocyanine pigments.2

The choice of thickener is essential for determining the grease's performance, as these agents help provide the necessary consistency and lubrication properties for specific mechanical applications.12