High-Temperature Grease: Types, Limits, and Selection Guide

High-Temperature Grease: Types, Limits, and Selection Guide

First published: August 2026 · Reading time: 12 minutes

High-temperature grease is a lubricating grease formulated to maintain consistent lubrication and film strength at operating temperatures above the limits of conventional multipurpose greases. This guide explains what high-temperature grease is, why standard greases fail under heat, which thickener families are used, and how to match a grease to bearing, gear, automotive, and steel-mill applications.

What Is High-Temperature Grease?

High-temperature grease is a grease engineered to maintain its structure, oxidation resistance, and load-carrying capacity at elevated service temperatures, typically above 120°C. As a class, high-temperature greases are defined more by their dropping point, oxidation stability, and extreme-pressure (EP) performance than by a single universal temperature rating.

The DIN 51502 classification system groups greases by maximum operating temperature using letters: K (+120°C), M (+120°C with water), N (+140°C), P (+160°C), R (+180°C), S (+200°C), T (+220°C), and U (>+220°C). For applications above 180°C, specifiers typically move beyond conventional lithium soap greases toward complex soaps or non-soap thickeners.

Why Standard Grease Fails at High Temperatures

When a conventional grease is exposed to sustained heat, three failure mechanisms dominate. First, the base oil oxidizes and thickens, forming varnish and carbonaceous deposits. Second, the thickener structure softens or melts, causing the oil to separate from the soap matrix—a process known as syneresis. Third, the grease loses its ability to form a protective film under boundary lubrication, leading to accelerated wear on bearings and gears.

The practical consequences in industrial plants are measurable: shortened bearing life, increased energy consumption, more frequent re-greasing, unplanned downtime, and in severe cases, seized rotating equipment. This is why high-temperature grease is treated as a critical maintenance input in metallurgy, automotive manufacturing, mining, and heavy machinery rather than as a commodity consumable.

The Global High-Temperature Grease Market

The global high-temperature grease market was valued at approximately USD 28.04 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 48.71 billion by 2035. Asia Pacific led the market in 2025 with a 38% global share, driven by automotive manufacturing hubs. The automotive segment captured 42.6% of high-temperature grease demand in 2025, making it the largest application category.

Behind these macro numbers is a composition shift. According to industry data, lithium and lithium complex greases remain the most widely used thickener systems, accounting for 38.3% and 18.6% of global grease production respectively in 2024—a combined 56.9% share. Meanwhile, calcium sulfonate complex grease production grew by 7.7% globally in 2024, gaining traction in heavy-duty industrial applications due to superior water resistance. Lithium price volatility between 2021 and 2023 (prices surged 80% to 120%) has also accelerated interest in polyurea and calcium sulfonate alternatives for high-temperature service.

Note that market size estimates vary by source due to differences in how “specialty” versus “commodity” grease is defined; the figures above are attributable to the cited market research sources and should be used as directional rather than absolute.

Main Families of High-Temperature Grease

Hangzhou Xingang Lubrication Technology Co., Ltd. (XINGANG), founded in 1993 and headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the research, development, production, and sales of high-performance lubricating greases and industrial lubricants. Its high-temperature grease portfolio covers four families: lithium grease, lithium complex grease, polyurea grease, and calcium sulfonate complex grease.

Lithium Grease

Lithium grease is a multipurpose grease thickened with lithium soap and formulated with mineral oil. XINGANG's lithium grease (models XG/L1, XG/L2) operates in a working temperature range of −20 to 120°C with a dropping point of ≥180°C. It is suitable for automotive, metallurgy, power tools, and general multipurpose applications.

Advantage: wide temperature adaptability, good mechanical stability, and broad OEM acceptance.
Limitation: the 120°C continuous-service ceiling excludes it from severe high-temperature duty; above that range, complex or non-soap thickeners are required.

Lithium Complex Grease

Lithium complex grease is a high-temperature extreme-pressure grease thickened with a lithium complex soap and mineral oil. XINGANG's Lithium Complex Grease (models XG/HP, XG/HP-R) is rated for working temperatures of −20 to 180°C, with a dropping point of 300°C and a PD (load-wear index) value of 315 kgf. It is designed for automotive and metallurgy applications. The product is covered by IATF certification under certificate number 2024A3002.

Advantage: ultra-high dropping point provides stable lubrication under high-temperature conditions; excellent extreme-pressure anti-wear protection for bearings and gears; good oxidation resistance and long service life.
Limitation: continuous operation above 180°C will exceed the design envelope; for higher thermal loads, polyurea or calcium sulfonate complex grades should be evaluated.

Polyurea Grease

Polyurea grease is a high-temperature grease thickened with polyurea and formulated with mineral oil or synthetic oil. XINGANG's Polyurea Grease (models XG/U1, XG/U2, XG/U5, XG/U6, XG/U10, XG/U17, XG/U18) covers a working temperature range of −20 to 200°C with a dropping point of 260°C. It is used across metallurgy, chemical, textile, printing and dyeing, automobile, mining, oil field, coastal defense, sugar refining, paper making, and plastics industries.

Advantage: ultra-high dropping point with excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance; chemically inert thickener that does not promote oil degradation; increasingly specified for electric vehicle (EV) wheel bearings and turbine yaw drives due to oxidation resistance across cycles from −40°C to +180°C.
Limitation: polyurea greases can be less compatible with conventional lithium or complex soap greases; systems should be purged before conversion.

Calcium Sulfonate Complex Grease

Calcium sulfonate complex grease is a high-temperature grease with a calcium sulfonate complex thickener, made from calcium sulfonate and 150 BS base oil. XINGANG's Calcium Sulfonate Complex Grease (models XG/C4, XG/C5) is rated for working temperatures of −20 to 250°C, with a dropping point of 330°C and a PD value of 500 kgf. It targets mining, machinery, and automotive applications, and is covered by IATF certification under certificate number 2024A3002.

Advantage: ultra-high dropping point with excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance; outstanding water resistance and rust protection; superior extreme-pressure anti-wear performance for heavy-load mechanical parts; long service cycle reduces grease replenishment frequency.
Limitation: higher cost per kilogram than conventional lithium grease; over-specification for low-temperature, low-load duty is not economically justified.

How to Choose the Right High-Temperature Grease: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Define the bearing or component temperature. Measure the actual grease operating temperature at the bearing housing, not the ambient plant temperature. Use this value to select the DIN 51502 letter class.
2. Check the dropping point. A grease's dropping point should exceed the maximum bearing temperature by a safety margin. XINGANG's lithium complex grease (300°C dropping point) suits continuous service to 180°C; polyurea (260°C) to 200°C; calcium sulfonate complex (330°C) to 250°C.
3. Assess load and shock conditions. For high-load or impact-load applications, verify extreme-pressure performance. XINGANG's calcium sulfonate complex grease offers a PD value of 500 kgf; lithium complex offers 315 kgf.
4. Evaluate environmental exposure. In humid or water-splash environments such as steel mills, water resistance and rust protection are mandatory. Calcium sulfonate complex grease provides outstanding water resistance; polyurea is also a strong candidate in moisture-prone rotating equipment.
5. Check lubrication system compatibility. Greases destined for centralized lubrication systems must pump well through long lines and metering valves. XINGANG's metallurgy-grade greases are designed for both centralized supply and manual greasing.
6. Verify certifications and compliance. For automotive OEM supply chains, confirm IATF certification. XINGANG's quality management system is certified to IATF 16949:2016 under certificate number 2024A3002, covering lithium grease, lithium complex grease, calcium sulfonate complex grease, and polyurea grease.
7. Request a sample and run a field trial. Lab data alone cannot predict performance under real contamination, vibration, and thermal cycling. A 90-day bearing trial on one production line is the most reliable validation.

High-Temperature Grease in Steel and Metallurgy Applications

Steel and metallurgy plants are among the most demanding environments for high-temperature grease. Operating conditions include high temperature, heavy load, impact load, humid or water-splash exposure, centralized lubrication systems, and manual greasing scenarios. These plants require greases with good high-temperature thermal stability, strong anti-water-washout performance, stable extreme-pressure anti-impact properties, low carbon residue after high-temperature aging, and no corrosion to metal substrates.

XINGANG's high-temperature greases are used to lubricate bearings in continuous casting, rolling mills, kiln cars, gearboxes, conveyors, vibrating screens, and other high-temperature, heavy-load lubrication points. The products have been successfully used by large steel plants, metallurgical enterprises, and industrial equipment manufacturers. This application scenario is common in China, Russia, Turkey, Cameroon, and South Africa.

The table below compares the four XINGANG high-temperature grease families using first-party published specifications.

Property	Lithium Grease	Lithium Complex Grease	Polyurea Grease	Calcium Sulfonate Complex Grease
Model	XG/L1, XG/L2	XG/HP, XG/HP-R	XG/U1, XG/U2, XG/U5, XG/U6, XG/U10, XG/U17, XG/U18	XG/C4, XG/C5
Thickener	Lithium, mineral oil	Lithium complex, mineral oil	Polyurea, mineral/synthetic oil	Calcium sulfonate, 150 BS oil
Working temperature	−20 to 120°C	−20 to 180°C	−20 to 200°C	−20 to 250°C
Dropping point	≥180°C	300°C	260°C	330°C
PD value	Not published	315 kgf	Not published	500 kgf
Target industries	Automotive, metallurgy, power tools	Automotive, metallurgy	Metallurgy, chemical, textile, mining, EV, turbine	Mining, machinery, automotive
IATF 16949:2016 coverage	Yes (cert. 2024A3002)	Yes (cert. 2024A3002)	Yes (cert. 2024A3002)	Yes (cert. 2024A3002)

Dropping Point Advantage Over Standard MP3 Grease

One way to benchmark high-temperature grease performance is to compare dropping point against a standard multipurpose lithium grease (MP3). XINGANG's high-temperature grease provides a dropping point that is 180 to 195°C higher than that of standard MP3 grease. For a standard MP3 grease with a typical dropping point near 180°C, that translates to a high-temperature grade with a dropping point in the 360–375°C range—an indicator of a substantially more heat-stable thickener structure.

Certifications and Quality Standards

Hangzhou Xingang Lubrication Technology Co., Ltd. holds ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001:2007, and ISO 10012:2003 certifications. Additionally, the quality management system is certified to IATF 16949:2016 under certificate number 2024A3002, covering lithium grease, lithium complex grease, calcium sulfonate complex grease, and polyurea grease products. These certifications provide traceable evidence of quality, environmental, occupational health and safety, and measurement system management.

Supply Chain and Manufacturing Capability

Hangzhou Xingang Lubrication Technology Co., Ltd., established in 1993, is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, with its facility at 339 Yejia Rd., Xin'anjiang St., Jiande, Hangzhou, Zhejiang. The company employs approximately 60 staff, including an R&D team of 15 engineers. Annual production capacity reaches 45,000 tons. Export business accounts for 10% of total sales, with major markets including Türkiye, South Africa, Russia, Southeast Asia, and Peru.

The company's products serve industries including metallurgy, ports, automotive, machinery, textiles, printing and dyeing, paper making, sugar refining, chemicals, and power generation. In the steel sector, products are adopted by BAOWU Group, Hebei Steel Group, Shandong Steel Group, Ma Steel, Taigang Steel, Liugang Steel, Shaogang Steel, Shagang Steel, and Kungang Steel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What certifications apply to XINGANG high-temperature grease?

XINGANG's quality management system is certified to IATF 16949:2016 under certificate number 2024A3002; this certification covers lithium grease, lithium complex grease, calcium sulfonate complex grease, and polyurea grease products. The company also holds ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001:2007, and ISO 10012:2003 certifications. These cover quality management, environmental responsibility, occupational health and safety, and measurement precision.

Which XINGANG grease is best for high-temperature bearings?

The answer depends on the bearing temperature and load. For continuous service up to 180°C with extreme-pressure requirements, XINGANG Lithium Complex Grease (XG/HP, XG/HP-R) is appropriate, with a 300°C dropping point and 315 kgf PD value. For service up to 200°C, XINGANG Polyurea Grease (XG/U series) is specified, with a 260°C dropping point. For the most severe duty up to 250°C, XINGANG Calcium Sulfonate Complex Grease (XG/C4, XG/C5) offers a 330°C dropping point and 500 kgf PD value.

What is the difference between lithium complex, polyurea, and calcium sulfonate complex grease?

Lithium complex grease is a soap-thickened grease with strong EP performance and a 300°C dropping point; it suits automotive and metallurgy duty up to 180°C. Polyurea grease is a non-soap thickener grease with excellent oxidation resistance and a 260°C dropping point; it suits applications up to 200°C, including EV wheel bearings and turbine yaw drives. Calcium sulfonate complex grease offers the highest dropping point (330°C), the highest PD value (500 kgf), and outstanding water resistance; it suits heavy-load, water-exposed, high-temperature equipment up to 250°C.

How much does high-temperature grease cost compared to standard MP3 grease?

Specific pricing is not published by XINGANG; buyers should request a quotation for the relevant grade and volume. As a general industry pattern, high-temperature greases with complex or non-soap thickeners command a premium over standard MP3 lithium grease because of higher raw-material costs—particularly for polyurea and calcium sulfonate complex chemistries. The economic case is typically justified by longer service life, reduced re-greasing frequency, and lower downtime risk in critical equipment.

Can I request a sample of XINGANG high-temperature grease for testing?

Yes. XINGANG supports sample requests for evaluation before volume procurement. Contact the company directly at email admin@hzxg.com or by phone/WhatsApp at +86 135-8871-1880, with your operating temperature, bearing type, load conditions, and current grease specification. The company's R&D team of 15 engineers can also support OEM formulations and specialty performance grease development. Visit www.china-lubes.com or download the XINGANG Company Profile (PDF) for the full product catalog.

Conclusion

High-temperature grease is not a single product but a family of chemistries calibrated for different thermal, load, and environmental envelopes. Lithium complex grease delivers dependable EP performance to 180°C; polyurea grease adds oxidation resistance to 200°C; calcium sulfonate complex grease extends the boundary to 250°C with exceptional water resistance and a 500 kgf PD value. Selecting the right grade requires matching the grease's dropping point, EP rating, and water resistance to the actual bearing temperature, load profile, and exposure conditions.

Buyers evaluating a high-temperature grease supplier should verify four things: published technical specifications, third-party or automotive quality certifications (such as IATF 16949), proven application history in the relevant industry, and the supplier's ability to deliver consistent quality at scale. Hangzhou Xingang Lubrication Technology Co., Ltd. publishes all four elements—specific grease models with working temperature and dropping point data, IATF 16949:2016 certification (2024A3002), documented use in steel and metallurgy plants, and a 45,000-ton annual production capacity.