Old grease identification?

[WTreasurer]

I am looking at a couple of bearing from an outdoor elecrical disconnect system. I ran FTIR and EDS of the old, tacky, amber grease. The results look like a combined metal soap grease, but with calcium and zinc which I haven't run into yet. One of the greases had a large amount of chlorine, more than what could be a contaminant. I need help to make sure these types of grease were made, probably well more than 10 years ago.

Any comments?

Thanks

 

[Kestas]

I work in a lab that uses SEM/EDS and FTIR to identify bearing greases (I work the SEM/EDS part).

Calcium is probably from thickener in the grease. Many popular greases use calcium carbonate - and other calcium based compounds - as a thickener/solid lubricant.

Zinc is probably from zddp, an antiscuffing agent. (You should have seen some P in the spectrum).

Chlorine throws me a curve. In large amounts I would suspect contamination. Remember that the Na peak overlaps with Zn-L peaks! I believe Cl is sometimes present from an EP agent. Was the bearing near a roadway that gets salted?

 

[bruce381]

Chlor parrafins were a popular EP additive or a high amount of salt but then sodium would also show.
bruce