Process for producing lubricating grease

A process for producing a lubricating grease, comprising:

• adding a polymeric structure improver to a dispersion which has a grease structure, wherein
• the dispersion comprises at least one thickener and at least one lubricating oil, and wherein the polymeric structure improver is added in the form of a composition which is a liquid at 25° C., and
• wherein the polymeric structure improver is obtained by polymerizing a monomer composition comprising:
• a) 0 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the monomer compositions for preparing the polymeric structure improvers, of one or more ethylenically unsaturated ester compounds of the formula (I)
• wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, R1 is a linear or branched alkyl radical having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are each independently hydrogen or a group of the formula —COOR′ where R′ is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms,
• b) 50 to 100% by weight, based on the weight of the monomer compositions for preparing the polymeric structure improver, of one or more ethylenically unsaturated ester compounds of formula (II)
• wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, R4 is a linear or branched alkyl radical having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms, R5 and R6 are each independently hydrogen or a group of the formula —COOR″, where R″ is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, and
• c) 0.01 to 20% by weight, based on the weight of the monomer compositions for preparing the polymeric structure improvers, of acid-bearing monomers or salts thereof comprising at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylic acid and acrylic acid or salts thereof.