Verfahren zur Herstellung von Schmierfetten

Lubricating grease is prepared by adding certain proportions of a surface active agent and a water-immiscible liquid oleaginous material to a hydrous colloidal clay, removing the water which separates, dehydrating the resulting composition by evaporation until substantially all of the water has been removed therefrom, and subjecting the substantially anhydrous composition to a shearing action to impart to it a lubricating grease structure. The proportion of surface active agent employed is 70-120 per cent. by weight, based on the weight of the clay, and the proportion of the oleaginous material is such that the value of R in the equation:-R = Per cent. by weight of the oleaginous material based on the clay/Surface area of the clay in square metres per gram is between 2 and 5. Clays mentioned are montmorillonites (including hectorite or Wyoming bentonite), saponite and attapulgite, and they may first be dispersed in water to form a hydrosol of low solids content. The oleaginous material may be mineral lubricating oil and/or a synthetic material. Suitable synthetic materials are esters of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as bis (2-ethylhexyl) sebacate, esters of phosphorus acids such as tricresyl phosphates or dihexyl hexane phosphonate, polyoxyalkylene compounds, fluorocarbons or other highly fluorinated or halogenated organic substances, and silicones such as dimethyl silicone fluid. The surface-active agents used may be cationic, anionic or non-ionic. Examples of suitable cationic surface-active agents are the aliphatic amines having at least 10 carbon atoms, such as octadecylamine, and the salts thereof, and the quaternary ammonium compounds having at least one hydrocarbon radicle of at least 10 carbon atoms, such as dimethyl diheptodecyl ammonium chloride. Instead of the ammonium compounds, the corresponding arsonium, stibonium and sulphonium compounds can be used. Other suitable cationic surface-active agents are the amido-amines, particularly the partial amides of fatty or rosin acids with aliphatic polyamino-hydroxy compounds resulting from the condensation of halohydrins, such as epichlorhydrin, with ammonia or a primary or secondary amine. Anionic and non-ionic surface-active agents mentioned are fatty acids, soaps and mono- and polyalcohols, particularly stearic acid, 12-hydroxystearic acid, lead 12-hydroxystearate and heptadecyl alcohol. The lubricating greases may contain additional ingredients, particularly water-soluble polar compounds such a