How to choose between polyurea grease and lithium-based grease？

2025-03-20

1.Customer demands

In 2024, a customer from Oman in the Middle East consulted our sales manager. The equipment in his factory produced a lot of sediment during the production process due to the original grease used, which caused the equipment to stop frequently. For this reason, the customer came to us.

After our lubrication expert team had a preliminary understanding of the customer's industry, they decided to go to the actual site to investigate the situation and sample the lubricants they used for subsequent product performance comparison. The customer said: " Our factory is considering replacing lithium-based grease with Polyurea Grease for lubricating several equipment parts. We want to test whether polyurea grease can solve the problems we encounter."

2.Grease properties:

The biggest disadvantage of polyurea greases compared to lithium complex greases is that polyurea thickeners are very poorly compatible. This incompatibility can cause the grease to become either hard or soft. However, polyurea thickeners do have some advantages over lithium thickeners.

For example, polyurea Bearing Greases are often the first choice for sealed-for-life applications. These greases tend to have higher operating temperatures, inherent oxidation resistance, higher thermal stability , and lower weeping characteristics.

On the other hand,are the most common thickeners on the market,accounting for nearly 60% of North American greases. Compatibility statistics show that lithium complex thickeners have been proven to be compatible with a variety of thickeners. They are also the primary thickener of choice for most equipment manufacturers. Lithium complex greases generally have good stability,high temperature characteristics,and some water resistance.

Therefore, choosing the right lubricant for your needs is the only requirement.Polyurea and lithium complex greases both have their advantages and disadvantages,so be sure to check the compatibility and viscosity of each product first.

3.FRTLUBE Solutions

The lubricants currently used by customers cannot meet their real needs due to their dropping point and physical properties. The FRTLUBE lubrication team customized and developed a high-temperature grease product with polyurea thickener , and delivered it after passing the post-sample performance test.

Product	Appearance	Thickener	Temp Range (°C)	Application
FRTLUBE BG371Y	Yellow	Polyurea	-30~280℃	Heavily loaded bearings/Excavator bearings/Auto Parts/High speed bearings

In addition, the expert team developed lubrication plans and product storage recommendations based on the operating conditions of the customer's equipment. After comparing the actual conditions, the customer gave us very positive feedback.