The dropping point of a soap-thickened lubricating grease is the temperature at which it passes from a semi-solid to a liquid state under specific test conditions. It is an indication of the type of thickener used, and a measure of the cohesiveness of the oil and thickener of a grease.
Dropping point is used in combination with other testable properties to determine the suitability of greases for specific applications. It is applicable only to greases that contain soap thickeners. Greases with other thickeners, such as many synthetic greases, do not change state. Instead, they separate oil, and the dropping point as a phase transition does not apply.
Read more about Dropping Point: ASTM Test Procedure, Other Test Procedures
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