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. Graphite has been developed as a dry powder lubricant for a long time. It has been reported that the use of graphite in vehicle engines has a good effect of saving fuel at about 10%. With the development and popularity of nano engine oil additive, nano-materials have been widely used in solid lubricants and have shown better lubricating properties than traditional materials. The flake nano-graphite studied by Dr. Huang et al. As a lubricant additive. Graphite is more natural to spread into a film on the surface of the friction pair and shows better lubricity than ordinary graphite. 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.

Limited interest has been shown in low friction properties of compacted oxide glaze layers formed at several hundred degrees Celsius in metallic sliding systems. However, practical use is still many years away due to their physically unstable nature.We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.

Dry film lubricants or solid film lubricants are materials that reduce friction between surfaces. Ideal for use in extreme environments, including high and low temperature, high and low pressure, and where liquid and oils need to be avoided.

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. Graphite can be used as a lubricant because of its layered crystal structure. In the graphite layered crystal structure, carbon atoms form a hexagonal network of graphite layers with sp2 hybrid orbitals. The carbon-carbon bond energy belongs to a resonance σ-bond (σ-electron covalent bond). It can reach up to 627K J/mol, which gives the graphite layer strong properties; the interaction between the graphite layer and the segment belongs to the weak Van der Waals force, which is caused by the conjugate significant H-bond phase on both sides of the graphite layer. The bond energy is only 5.4KJ / mol, which is only 1/110 of the covalent σ-bond strength between carbon atoms in the segment. This structural feature determines the load-resistant, corrosion-resistant, high-temperature, and radiation-resistant characteristics of the graphite layer, as well as the excellent sliding properties between the sheets, laying a foundation for graphite as a high-performance lubricant. However, a layered crystal structure alone is not necessarily sufficient for lubrication. In fact, there are some solids with non-lamellar structures that function well as dry lubricants in some applications. These include certain soft metals ( indium, lead, silver, tin), polytetrafluroethylene, some solid oxides, rare-earth fluorides, and even diamond. [2] As a final note, if you live in a coastal area with humid salty air, you may find better rust protection using Teflon over graphite. Final Thoughts

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. High temperature. Graphite and MoS 2 act as lubricants at high temperature and in oxidizing atmosphere environments, where liquid lubricants typically will not survive. A typical application involves fasteners that are easily tightened and unscrewed after a long stay at high temperatures. Dry lubricants are made up of small solid particles that are slippery enough to reduce friction between two surfaces. It works well in all climates and is great at preventing rust—even in salty and humid coastal locations.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.