Lithium Grease and the Price of Popularity

Lithium is a hot commodity. Nearly 75% of the world’s industrial greases are based on lithium. Beyond lubricant applications, there’s intensifying competition for lithium from the expanding electric vehicle (EV) industry. The result? Record-breaking lithium prices — skyrocketing more than 220% year on year (tradingeconomics.com). So what does this mean for lithium grease users? Is it time to explore lithium alternatives or hold your nose and pay for popularity?

Lithium Carbonate Prices in China

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What is Lithium Grease?

Lithium grease is an outstanding lubricator, increasing efficiency and system output by reducing friction between moving parts, extending machine wear, and increasing component life. In mechanical systems, lithium grease also delivers several advantages:
  • Superior protection against extreme temperatures and oxidation
  • Excellent water resistance and shear stability
  • Minimizes leakage and contamination
  • Works well in multiple applications, including general purpose, heavy-duty, or machines that don’t require frequent lubrication

What is Driving Up Lithium Pricing?

When you get down to it, it’s basic supply/demand economics. While the lithium lubricant grease market only makes up only 3% of global lithium end-users, the EV market garners nearly 75% (Mineral Commodity Summaries 2022). As lithium is the most critical metal in an EV battery and electric vehicle adoption rates continue to accelerate, lithium is in increasingly high demand.

Lithium supply continues to increase, despite additional challenges, including disrupted supply chains from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the recent power shutdown in the Sichuan province. Global lithium production in 2023 is predicted to nearly double from 2021. Yet Australia, China, and Chile, the world’s largest lithium producers, are expected to continue to struggle to keep up with record-setting demand. In fact, Statista anticipates by 2030, global demand for lithium will surpass 2 million metric tons, over double the demand forecast for 2025. So, lithium pricing isn’t coming down anytime soon.

Projection-total-lithium-demand-globally-2030-Statista

Source: Statista

Are There Good Lithium Grease Alternatives?

There are several lithium grease alternatives on the market. The ideal option will depend on your specific grease application, operating conditions, and cost factors. Some lithium grease alternatives to consider are:

A cost-effective multipurpose grease,Calcium Hydroxy Stearate enjoys properties similar to lithium. Due to its 150°C dropping point, anhydrous calcium grease is best used in applications where machinery runs at a maximum temperature of 90° to 100°C, such as wet industrial environments, sewage plants, and farming exposed to water.

Benefits and Value:

  • Economical, multipurpose applications
  • Extremely water resistant
  • Good thermal and mechanical stability
  • Low-temperature properties

Aluminum complex grease is widely used in food and beverage processing plants. An H1 food-grade grease, it’s made with white mineral oil or synthetic hydrocarbon. Aluminum complex greases are applicable in steel mills and mining applications because of their superior water resistance properties and higher temperature thickener.

Benefits and Value:

  • High maximum operating temperature
  • Very good water resistance
  • Good corrosion protection
  • Fair low-temperature pumpability
  • Age hardening
Remember that any lithium grease alternative worth considering should be thoroughly tested and established over a long period before making the switch.
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Calcium Sulfonate grease is an outstanding multipurpose that functions as a thickener and as an extreme pressure (EP) agent and corrosion inhibitor. Its calcite structure provides strong anti-wear protection with low additive content.

Benefits and Value:

  • Excellent oxidation resistance
  • Excellent mechanical stability
  • High dropping point
  • Excellent corrosion resistance
  • Acceptable low-temperature properties

Polyurea grease is a non-soap thickened grease that is considered the best option for long-life applications such as electric motor bearings, automotive and off-highway constant velocity joints and seal-for-life applications.

Benefits and Value:

  • 3-5x better life expectancy than lithium grease
  • Excellent water resistance, oxidation, and corrosion stability
  • Suitable in wet or dirty environments or infrequent lubrication
  • Good pumpability for centralized lube systems
  • Temperature and contamination-resistant
Lithium’s popularity, and high price, are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Is now the time switch to an alternative grease or pay for popularity? Our Pack Logix team brings 70 years of experience as a contract packager of greases. Let us help you determine your best option.

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