Q&A: Lithium Alternatives, A Life in the Grease Industry, and More

Following recent recognition by the NLGI (formerly known as National Lubricating Grease Institute), Lubrizol’s Dr. Gareth Fish and Devon McCune discuss the grease industry, the need for lithium alternatives and more.

While the average person may not consider it, industrial lubricating greases play essential roles in our modern world by enabling heavy-duty machinery—inside factories and refineries, on massive construction and mining sites—to operate reliably and effectively.

It's why Lubrizol has continuously invested in the science behind effective lubricating greases to ensure their continued application and success. By deploying novel chemistry in demanding and challenging applications, our teams have helped elevate lubricating greases to true scientific solutions the world can depend on.

Some of those contributions were recently celebrated at the NLGI Annual Meeting. The prestigious Golden Grease Gun Award was presented to Devon McCune, research chemist and Dr. Gareth Fish, technical fellow, who also accepted the same award in memory of the late Dr. Chris Hsu, their colleague at Lubrizol for many years. Additionally, Devon McCune earned the NLGI Author Award for his outstanding technical paper on grease formulation and manufacturing.

Considering these achievements, Dr. Fish and McCune recently discussed their work, the future of lubricating greases and some of the most pressing technical challenges the industry is facing today.

Congratulations on your team receiving the Golden Grease Gun Award! What does receiving the award mean to you?

Dr. Fish: I’ve been in this industry for more than 37 years, and it is always an honor to be recognized by my peers. This is my 21st Lubricant industry award including eight best conference paper prizes. I’m grateful that, so many years into my career, I’m still able to deliver meaningful contributions that the industry finds valuable.

McCune: We always believe that our work is meaningful, but awards like this one truly grant significance to what we’re doing and contributing to the industry. It tells us that the industry appreciates the contributions we’ve made.

What have you found rewarding about your work in the grease industry?

Dr. Fish: I have always loved solving problems, and that’s what this industry is built upon. Why did my bearing fail? Why did this grease formulation not work as I intended? Developing new approaches until you come upon a solution is very rewarding.

In recent years, I have taught numerous classes on lubricating grease and tribology and have found it extremely rewarding to be able to pass on my knowledge to the next generations of grease and tribology professionals. I have also been involved in STEM education and have encouraged high schoolers that science and engineering are good, rewarding professions.

McCune: I love how complex grease is and how much there is to learn and discover. Between the chemical intricacies of making grease solutions and the tribological intricacies of how the grease performs in tests and applications, there is always something new and unexpected to discover. I love knowing that I can strive to learn everything, even if it is impossible to truly achieve it.

Devon, congratulations again on the NLGI Author Award. Can you tell us why finding a reliable lithium alternative is important in today’s grease market?

McCune: Lithium hydroxide has been a critical component of lubricating greases for more than 80 years, helping provide essential functionality. However, pricing has become extremely volatile in recent years—lithium is a primary component of batteries in electric vehicles, and it is becoming increasingly hard to come by within the grease market.

Dr. Fish: Another problem is lithium’s provisional classification under REACH, Europe’s chemical regulations. The regulation’s Reprotoxic 1A classification, if confirmed, will have major repercussions for the lubricating grease industry as lithium greases account for almost 60% of the global market.

McCune: No single solution will replace lithium, lithium-calcium and lithium complex greases. Alternatives will likely be application-dependent (in terms of bearings, gears, or other machinery) and may vary depending on load, speed and temperature.

What are some of the most important characteristics that a good lithium alternative should demonstrate?

McCune: This is very application-dependent, and part of what makes lithium so effective is that it can cover a wide range of applications. I think application versatility and the ability to formulate grease with many different properties for these applications are extremely important.

Dr. Fish: To replace lithium complex thickeners, high temperature stability is important, including both shear and thermal stressing. Good long-life performance is also a requirement in traditional rolling element bearings at normal operating temperatures. For highly loaded applications or low-speed applications, calcium sulfonate complexes have emerged as a good choice. For lithium-calcium greases, thermally stabilized anhydrous calcium greases meet the typically required cost targets for thickeners.

Can you tell us about some of the solutions you’ve found promising?

Dr. Fish: Lubrizol’s HybriCal™ is a new thickener type our team has developed. It maintains similar properties to lithium and lithium complex greases but utilizes calcium as a key ingredient. Our formulations have inherent high-temperature stability properties required from lithium complex greases and have performed well in bearing tests that require long-life performance. The thickener also has inherent lubrication properties such as load carrying and wear protection.

Can you share any other challenges your team is working to solve in the grease industry?

McCune: We’re continuing to evaluate the challenges faced by grease professionals to provide reliable solutions. Hydrated greases, grease additives that are compliant with the latest chemical classifications and labeling, and grease technologies that reduce environmental impact and improve sustainability are key priorities. We’re looking forward to making continued advancements and providing the industry with science-based technology they can count on.

In Pursuit of an Ideal Lithium Alternative