This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Dry film lubricants are an attractive alternative to fluid lubricants because they minimise friction and prevent seizing and galling, especially in extreme applications where fluids may freeze or vaporise. For instances where traditional lubricants, like oil or grease, can undergo a state change (i.e. freeze) and thus no longer provide protection, a dry-film lubricant will remain intact and provide continuous lubrication and protection. Graphite is best suited for lubrication in air. Water vapor is a necessary component for graphite lubrication. The adsorption of water reduces the bonding energy between the hexagonal planes of the graphite to a lower level than the adhesion energy between a substrate and the graphite. Because water vapor is a requirement for lubrication, graphite is not effective in vacuum. [4] Because it is electrically conductive, graphite can promote galvanic corrosion. In an oxidative atmosphere, graphite is effective at high temperatures up to 450°C continuously and can withstand much higher temperature peaks. You may not know it, but one of the most common graphite lubricant uses is as coating on pots and pans. Since the graphite can tolerate heat, it works well as a coating. While many pots and pans tend to use Teflon as a coating, many also contain graphite. In crystalline form structures such as DRY MOLY and DRY GRAPHITE, the shear forces between opposing layers are weak resulting in lubricity between sliding surfaces.

We can’t help but love WD-40 Specialist more because it works perfectly, and the application bottle is better. 3. Quest Specialty Micro-Dry PTFE Dry Lubricant & Release Agent – Considered for Best PTFE In summary, although graphite-based lubricant has been used for many years, with the advancement of material technology and the implementation of environmental protection policies, the technique of graphite-based oil is also updated continuously, and graphite will always play an essential role in the lubricant additive industry. Reciprocating motion. A typical application is a sliding or reciprocating motion that requires lubrication to minimize wear, as, for example, in gear and chain lubrication. Liquid lubricants will squeeze out while solid lubricants do not escape, preventing fretting, corrosion, and galling.The most common types of dry lubricants you'll find are graphite, PTFE, silicone, and Teflon (branded PTFE). Dry-film lubricants can also be used in ceramic applications for cases where chemically active lubricant additives have not been found for a particular surface, such as polymers or ceramics.

RS Pro is our family brand and brings you a wide range of high-quality and high-value products to support your project. Trusted by engineers all over the world, every part of every RS PRO product is always rigorously tested against demanding industry standards. We are only giving the RS PRO seal of approval if we’re confident of their exceptional quality, which means you can be convinced too. Hexagonal boron nitride is a ceramic powder lubricant. The most interesting lubricant feature is its high temperature resistance of 1200°C service temperature in an oxidizing atmosphere. Furthermore, boron nitride has a high thermal conductivity. (Cubic boron nitride is very hard and used as an abrasive and cutting tool component.) Synthetic graphite is a high temperature sintered product and is characterized by its high purity of carbon (99.5−99.9%). Primary grade synthetic graphite can approach the good lubricity of quality natural graphite. However, you’re always trading one aspect for the other, and you may want a good all-around lubricant or one that will not stain the carpet. CleanlinessCeramics. Another application is for cases where chemically active lubricant additives have not been found for a particular surface, such as polymers and ceramics. Graphite is a traditional dry powder lubricant. The application of graphite in oils has significant economic benefits and has many advantages. With the development of science and technology and the deepening of scientific research, graphite lubricating materials have expanded to appear in the form of graphite derivatives, such as flake nano-graphite, expanded graphite, fluorinated graphite, and compound or straightforward intercalated graphite.The layered structure, and because of the effect of the intercalation substance, makes the layer spacing significantly increased, which is hugely beneficial to the improvement of lubrication performance. Fluoride graphite is a graphite intercalation compound produced by the direct reaction of fluorine and carbon. Ruffo first reported fluorinated graphite in 1937. The study found that the interlayer bond energy of fluorinated graphite is much lower than that of graphite, and the interval between fluorinated graphite layers is also twice that of graphite layers, which has led scientists to study their lubrication properties.