Method of manufacturing calcium sulfonate greases using delayed addition of non-aqueous converting agents

A method for making a calcium sulfonate grease comprising the steps of:

• mixing water, overbased calcium sulfonate containing dispersed amorphous calcium carbonate, and optionally base oil to form a first mixture;
• adding at least a portion of one or more non-aqueous converting agents to the first mixture after or during one or more delay periods to form a pre-conversion mixture;
• converting the pre-conversion mixture to a converted mixture by heating until conversion of the amorphous calcium carbonate contained in the overbased calcium sulfonate to crystalline calcium carbonate has occurred;
• wherein the grease is a complex calcium sulfonate grease comprising 45% or less overbased calcium sulfonate or the grease is a simple calcium sulfonate grease comprising around 30% to 70% overbased calcium sulfonate;
• and
• wherein at least one of the delay periods is a holding delay period wherein the first mixture or pre-conversion mixture is maintained at a temperature or within a range of temperatures for a period of time of at least 20 minutes.

A method for making a calcium sulfonate grease comprising the steps of:

• mixing water, overbased calcium sulfonate containing dispersed amorphous calcium carbonate, and optionally base oil to form a first mixture;
• adding at least a portion of one or more non-aqueous converting agents to the first mixture after or during one or more delay periods to form a pre-conversion mixture;
• converting the pre-conversion mixture to a converted mixture by heating until conversion of the amorphous calcium carbonate contained in the overbased calcium sulfonate to crystalline calcium carbonate has occurred;
• wherein the grease is a complex calcium sulfonate grease comprising 22% or less overbased calcium sulfonate or the grease is a simple calcium sulfonate grease comprising around 30% to 70% overbased calcium sulfonate;
• and
• wherein (a) at least one of the delay periods is a holding delay period wherein the first mixture or pre-conversion mixture is maintained at a temperature or within a range of temperatures for a period of time of at least 20 minutes or (b) at least one of the delay periods is a temperature adjustment delay period where the first mixture or pre-conversion mixture is heated to a temperature of at least 110 F or (c) the converting step comprises maintaining the pre-conversion mixture at temperature between about 190 F and 230 F or (d) a combination thereof.