"The advantages of a silicone lubricant"
The silicone lubricating grease is one of the most used solutions in the design of mechanical devices, thanks to its versatility and to some incomparable characteristics: limiting friction at high temperatures, reducing noise and mechanical wear between plastics and rubber in contact .
These are just some of the many functions that silicone lubricating greases possess, and are the main reasons why these solutions are used in many industrial sectors:
- to ensure the reduction of friction of moving parts,
- to protect against rust,
- to ensure heat dispersion,
- to limit the wear of plastic materials and rubbers
- to isolate electrically
Greases are used for the lubrication and protection of mechanical parts in place of lubricating oils, especially when there are space and sealing problems that do not allow for their use.
Silicone lubricating grease: the advantages
A lubricating grease is made up of different combinations of base oil, thickeners and additives, all functional elements to improve its performance and those of the kinematic mechanisms in which it is used.
A very versatile solution, easily applicable and with numerous advantages:
- High coefficient of viscosity - silicones are characterized by a great viscothermal stability compared to other synthetic solutions, showing minimal variations in viscosity with varying temperatures.
- High thermo-oxidative stability - which means great ability to delay the phenomena of primary and secondary oxidation, which represent the crucial moments in the process that leads the lubricating film to wear out.
- Low coefficient of friction - especially with regards to elastomeric surfaces, such as in the case of rubber seals or sliding sealing rings on plastic.
- Noise inhibition - thanks to its high viscosity index, a silicone grease can be formulated with high viscosity base oils, making noise reduction more effective than other types of synthetic lubricating greases.
Silicone lubricating grease in the design phase
To determine which type of lubricating grease is the ideal choice for your application, you must have a clear understanding of the application context and working conditions such as speed, temperature, load, vibrations, humidity, dust, etc.
During the design phase it is important to take into consideration some characteristics of the various types of silicone lubricating grease:
- Reduced load resistance capacity - in the presence of very high frictional force and metal surfaces in friction, the lubricating power of silicones is reduced.
- Non-compatibility with painting processes - leads to non-regular adhesion and the formation of inhomogeneity.
- Little reactivity to additives, since the additives are not soluble in silicone fluids throughout the thermal range that distinguishes them.
- Low resistance to shear stresses, if subjected to prolonged mechanical stress they lose their original structural properties
- Non-compatibility with electrical functions - causes risk of signal fragmentation.
To choose the correct lubricating grease, it is therefore essential to analyze your needs in depth, relating them to the precise characteristics of each solution.
For more information on which silicone lubricating grease to use, download the Fluorosil data sheet and perform a test!
Fluorosil 1050K
Silicone lubricating grease with low coefficient of friction suitable for metal-rubber and metal-plastic couplings
Discover the main applications
