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Grease is a semifluid to solid mixture of a
fluid lubricant, a thickener, and additives. The fluid
lubricant that performs the actual lubrication can be
petroleum (mineral) oil, synthetic oil, or vegetable oil.
The thickener gives grease its characteristic consistency
and is sometimes thought of as a “three-dimensional
fibrous network” or “sponge” that holds the oil in
place. Common thickeners are soaps and organic or inorganic
nonsoap thickeners. The majority of greases on the market
are composed of mineral oil blended with a soap thickener.
Additives enhance performance and protect the grease and
lubricated surfaces. Grease has been described as a
temperature-regulated feeding device: when the lubricant
film between wearing surfaces thins, the resulting heat
softens the adjacent grease, which expands and releases oil
to restore film thickness.
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