Ash Content

Joined
Jan 30, 2018
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702
Location
East Texas
I can't find anything in spec sheets to characterize greases relative to others or competition regarding their ash content as you would with a motor oil.
What kind of number could one expect if there was such an analysis?
I understand that most metal-soap thickener based greases would contain significantly more compared to fumed silica, clay, polyurea, and PTFE thickeners, because (fundamentally) those metal soap thickeners make up a significant volume % of the grease, and are thus the biggest contributer to metals in the grease.
 
And why exactly would you need to know this or would it matter? If you aren't burning the grease, there is no reason to worry about ash content...
 
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The grease is very likely to burn a small amount in its use, and I just dont understand how much ash it may generate. I'm sorry my question is too weird for y'all.
 
Based strictly on a lab test, I think you'll find that a soap thickened grease contains far less ash-contributing metal than a clay grease contains clay. An example…a #2 aluminum complex grease may contain 8.5-9% soap containing 0.45-0.48% aluminum and the balance long chain fatty acid and benzoic acid. A #2 clay grease will contain 8-10% clay which may be 100% ash contributing.
 
Originally Posted by Brian553
The grease is very likely to burn a small amount in its use, and I just dont understand how much ash it may generate. I'm sorry my question is too weird for y'all.


if the grease burns you are using the wrong grease or you have mechanical failure happening. They make extreme high temperature grease that can withstand about 1600 degree F. It's used for conveyors in ovens and kilns, hinges, chains, and valves in very high temperature applications.
 
In most cases, grease is just a thickened flammable fluid. They do burn under the right conditions. There are fire resistant greases.
 
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