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DRY Film Lubricants & Liquid Coatings
We offer a range of durable coatings, know as dry film lubricants. As opposed to grease or wet lubricants, dry film lubricants, also called solid film lubricants. They are grease free and effective in applications where conventional wet lubricants provide insufficient protection from high temperatures, extreme loads, wear or corrosion. Solid film lubricants (SFLs) have varying properties, depending on their structure and composition. These properties can be used in a variety of applications. For example, SFLs excel in high load applications, applications where a very low coefficient of friction is desired or high temperature environments. They can also be used to improve chemical resistance to attack, abrasion and corrosion. In summary, solid film lubricants provide performance-enhancing benefits such as corrosion protection, wear resistance, electrical insulation, electromagnetic shielding and chemical agent resistance. These coatings can be powder or liquid coatings such as PTFE, Xylan®, Epoxy, Polyester or Urethane.
The range of coatings includes environmentally friendly and REACH compliant coatings, as well as air cured, high temperature and PTFE. Among the solid film lubricants coatings we offer are Everlube®, Microseal®, Lube-Lok®, Lubri-Bond®, Ecoalube®, Ever-Slik®, Esnalube™, Perma-Slik®, Electrobond®, Flurene® , Formkote® and Henco-Mask™.
Typical Applications of Solid Film Lubricants Coatings
- Fasteners, springs, bearings, cams, gears and seals
- Aerospace hydraulic fittings, valve components and non-intrusive medical instruments
- Shafts, splines and bushes
- Rubber and other non-metallic substrates
- Saw blades, pruning shears, hedge trimmer blades, and other miscellaneous tools
- Automotive fasteners, seat slides and rails
- Petrochemical, oil and gas subsea and topside components
Typical Applications of Solid Film Lubricants Coatings
- Fasteners, springs, bearings, cams, gears and seals
- Aerospace hydraulic fittings, valve components and non-intrusive medical instruments
- Shafts, splines and bushes
- Rubber and other non-metallic substrates
- Saw blades, pruning shears, hedge trimmer blades, and other miscellaneous tools
- Automotive fasteners, seat slides and rails
- Petrochemical, oil and gas subsea and topside components
When are Dry Film Lubricants Used
Dry film lubricants are often used when other lubricants, such as grease and oil (wet lubricants) cannot. Wet lubricants fail at high temperatures, high load and long wear. Additionally, when wet lubricants change fluid state, migration and debris comprise their ability to provide protection. In these conditions, dry film lubricant remains intact and provide continuous lubrication.
How do Dry or Solid Film Lubricants Work
There are two main categories of dry film lubricants: crystalline lattice (lamella) type structures, including Molybdenum Disulfide, Tungsten Disulfide, and Graphite and Fluorocarbons, such as PTFE.
For crystalline type structures, such as Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) and Tungsten Disulfide (WS2), the shear forces between the layers are weak which results in increased lubricity between the sliding surfaces.
PTFE is a white, opaque synthetic fluoropolymer that provides lubrication in continuous use up to 260oC (500oF). The fluorocarbon molecule is structured such that the fluorine atoms surrounding the carbon atoms prevent any other atoms from getting near the carbon, preventing any further reaction. For this reason PTFE is very unreactive which causes it to have a very low coefficient of friction and allows things to slide across its surface very easily.

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