Calcium/lithium complex greases and encapsulated constant velocity joint containing the grease and method for their production

1. A constant velocity joint having an encapsulation in an area of a lubricating point of the joint, the encapsulation being a boot and comprising a grease composition and a thermoplastic elastomer comprising one or more ester bonds and encapsulating the lubricating point of the joint and a grease composition, the grease composition comprising:

at least one base oil;

at least one additive;

at least one thickener, wherein the thickener is a complex soap comprising a calcium/lithium soap and at least one complexing agent; and

an excess of calcium hydroxide,

the grease composition comprising a calcium to lithium molar ratio of greater than 1.0 to 5.0:1, the calcium to lithium molar ratio calculated based on the molar ratio of LiOH*H 2 O to Ca(OH) 2 ,

wherein lithium hydroxide and Ca(OH) 2 used in the process of making the soaps are used in an amount to ensure that the lithium hydroxide is reacted as completely as possible with one or more carboxyl groups to avoid excess of lithium hydroxide and any unreacted carboxyl group are reacted with the calcium hydroxide to result in an excess of calcium hydroxide as alkaline buffer.

2. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the grease composition comprises:

55 to 92 wt. % of the base oil;

0.5 to 40 wt. % of the additive(s);

5 to 25 wt. % of the calcium/lithium soap and

1 to 20 wt. % of the complexing agent, and

excess Ca(OH) 2 , each amount being relative to the total composition.

3. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the grease composition has a cone penetration value of 265 to 385 mm/10 at 77° F. determined according to ISO 2137.

4. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the base oil has a kinematic viscosity of 20 to 2500 mm 2 /s at 104° F.

5. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium/lithium soap is a mixture and/or conversion product of a lithium hydroxide and a calcium hydroxide of an optionally substituted saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic acid having 10 to 32 carbon atoms.

6. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the complexing agent is one or more members selected from the groups consisting of:

an alkali salt, an alkaline earth salt, and an aluminium salt of an optionally substituted saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic acid having 2 to 8 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted dicarboxylic acid having 2 to 16 carbon atoms;

an alkali salt of boric acid and an alkaline earth salt of boric acid; and

a phosphoric acid and a phosphoric acid ester.

7. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the additive is one or more members selected from the groups consisting of:

antioxidants comprising amine compounds, phenol compounds, sulphur antioxidants, zinc dithiocarbamate, and zinc dithiophosphate;

high-pressure additives comprising organic chlorine compounds, sulphur, phosphorus, calcium borate, zinc dithiophosphate, and organic bismuth compounds;

C2 to C6 polyols, fatty acids, fatty acid esters, animal oils, and vegetable oils;

anticorrosives comprising petroleum sulfonate, dinonylnaphthalone sulfonate, and sorbitan ester;

metal deactivators comprising benzotriazole, and sodium nitrite;

viscosity improvers comprising polymethacrylate, polyisobutylene, oligo-dec-1-ene, and polystyrenes;

antiwear additives comprising molybdenum-di-alkyl-dithiocarbamates, and molybdenum sulfide-di-alkyl-dithiocarbamates, aromatic amines;

friction modifiers comprising oleylamides, polyether- and amide-based organic compounds, and molybdenum dithiocarbamate; and

solid lubricants comprising polyamides, polyimides, PTFE, graphite, metal oxides, boron nitride, metal sulfides, and inorganic salts of alkali and alkaline earth metals.

8. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the calcium to lithium molar ratio is from 1.2 to 3.0:1, the calcium to lithium molar ratio calculated based on the molar ratio of LiOH*H 2 O to Ca(OH) 2 .

9. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the thickener is obtainable by joint conversion of one or more calcium compounds and one or more lithium compounds with carboxylic acids and/or substituted carboxylic acids in the presence of the complexing agent, and wherein:

the one or more calcium compounds are used in molar excess, and at least one of one or more calcium compounds is Ca(OH) 2 .

10. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , wherein the encapsulation comprises a polyester material.

11. The constant velocity joint according to claim 1 , characterized in that the encapsulation comprises or consists of a polyether ester material.

12. The constant velocity joint according to claim 2 , wherein the grease composition comprises 0.01 to 2 wt. % Ca(OH) 2 .