What Are the Advantages
of Using
Micro Care's Dry Film Lubricants?
Micro Care uses the purest, lightest-molecular weight polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE,
which is the generic name for Teflon®) in an HFC carrying agent to create
superior dry film lubricants. These products offer an
extremely low static coefficient of friction, which is at the heart of their
effectiveness as lubricants. PTFE also is extremely stable and nonflammable;
clean, dry, non-oily and nonstaining. The material is biologically inert and
does not support biological growth (it is non-pyrogenic). But there are a number
of other important advantages which make Micro Care the choice of engineers on
six continents.
Customized But Ready-to-Use Concentrations
While some customers prefer to "roll their own" and dilute their dry
film lubricants themselves, many of the PTFE microdispersions from Micro Care are packaged in
ready-to-use concentrations. This saves money by improving
the batch-to-batch consistency while simplifying the application
of the lubricant. In addition, the carrying agents
used in Micro Care microdispersions are unique. Micro Care
can prepare custom concentrations and custom carrying
agents to maximize the effectiveness of the lubricant, improve
quality and reduce costs.
No PTFE Micropowders
Since PTFE can be manufactured across an enormous range
of molecular weights, many users and manufacturers take
inexpensive PTFE solids and grind them into fine powders.
These PTFE powders have molecular weights hundreds of
times greater than the PTFE used in Micro Care’s dry lubricants,
and very different molecular weights from the molecular weight of the
carrying agents. That means these powders do not easily stay
in suspension and, when applied to a surface, form clumps
and streaks. Since Micro Care microdispersions only use the
lightest fractions of the lubricant, and the molecular weights
of the lubricant is very similar to the molecular weight of the HFC
carrying agents, the Micro Care products save money by providing
a more uniform coating, excellent lubricity and superior
cosmetics.
Extraordinary Stability
All PTFE micropowders eventually will settle out from
their carrying agents, and all require some degree of mechanical
agitation to remain in suspension. Too little agitation
results in inconsistent coatings; too much agitation increases
solvent losses. To resolve this problem, Micro Care has engineered
its microdispersions to remain in a stable, uniform suspension
for prolonged periods. The improved
“hang time” of the microdispersion improves the quality
of the coating, reduces carrying agent emissions and simplifies
production processes with minimal agitation. Better suspension produces
better lubrication at lower costs.
Easy Removal and Rework
Air-dried coatings of PTFE are generally soft. This means they can be easily removed with vigorous
abrasion using a cloth or brush; a drop of an alcohol-based solvent will
enhance the cleaning. Melted coatings are more durable
and harder to rework; in those instances customers use
either heat, salt baths or pickling to remove them.
Simple Equipment Requirements
In normal use, most Micro Care microdispersions are applied
using simple dipping systems, such as modified vapor
degreasers. This equipment is simple to use, relatively cheap to
purchase, inexpensive to operate, easy to maintain
and can accommodate even the most difficult shapes.
This contrasts favorably with water-based lubricants which
require large, complex and expensive dipping systems. In
addition, water-based systems also promote rust and biological
growth. Alcohol-based lubricants have similar complexities,
plus environmental and safety issues.
Non-Migrating Coverage
Micro Care dry lubricants are nonmigrating—the dry film
stays where the operator puts it, without clumps, drips or
streaks. In contrast, the viscosity of oil-based lubricants
and/or silicone lubricants varies with temperature, and those
lubricants may migrate to undesirable locations. Dry lubricants
eliminate those problems, dramatically improving the
performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness of the system.
Superior Materials Compatibility
The Micro Care microdispersions are inert chemically and
safe for components. They can be used on glass, ceramic,
metals, plastics, cured epoxies, laminates and solder masks.
However, certain carrying agents may not be completely plastic-safe;
check the product specifications for details.
Environmental Savings
The dry lubricant microdispersions from Micro Care offer
superior environmental attributes. In particular, the
microdispersions using HFCs offer low global warming,
maximum ozone protection and low VOC content. Some
products contain regulated Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOC) and some use ozone-depleting HCFC-141b. Micro Care
can provide assistance with solvent recovery,
emission reductions and disposal of spent fluids.
Chemical Stability
In laboratory tests, PTFE coatings proved completely resistant
to attack by strong, concentrated corrosives such as
concentrated nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide,
and potassium hydroxide up to 100° C (212° F).
Biomedical Compatibility
A number of major medical manufacturers use
microdispersions from Micro Care on selected medical instruments.
These microdispersions were chosen because of
their low costs, excellent lubricity, ease of application, superior
plastic compatibility, excellent cosmetic results, superior
toxicity ratings and pyrogen-free characteristics. However,
Micro Care does not recommend these products for
applications involving permanent implantation or permanent
contact with the human body, bodily fluids or tissues. For
background on this restriction, contact Micro Care.
Health & Safety Improvements
The microdispersions from Micro Care do not have personal
safety exposure limits assigned to them, but the individual
components have toxicity ratings ranging from 200
ppm to 1,000 ppm. All of the dry film lubricants also are nonflammable,
which makes them much safer than alcohol-based carrying agents.
None of the ingredients are listed by NTP,
IARC or OSHA as known or suspected carcinogens.
See the MSDS sheets for details.
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