Lubricants are used to reduce friction and wear between two moving surfaces. There are different types of lubricants such as solid/dry, semi-solid, liquid and gaseous. Dry lubricants can be placed in material form between the two moving surfaces. They prevent direct contact between moving surfaces and reduce friction and wear.
Lubricants are also available as ‘Dry lube’ and ‘Wet lube’. A dry lube is a dry lubricant in solid or powder form and does not leave a wet residue. It is usually mixed with alcohol and wax and comes out as a liquid but the alcohol evaporates, leaving a waxy coating. Dry lube has to evaporate to form a coating; therefore it has to be applied for a couple of hours.
A wet lube is a lubricant which is designed to be used in wet conditions. It uses a thick and viscous oil which adheres better to wet surfaces. It can provide superior protection in wet environments like lubricating bicycles in the rainy weather.
Some of the materials used with dry lube are Tungsten disulfide, Hexagonal boron nitride and Molybdenum disulfide. You can easily buy dry lube online for your lubrication needs. They are available in easy-to-use aerosol sprays. Dry lube is used in conditions that require a clean and non-sticky surface. It leaves no oily residue and can be used in applications where contamination is not accepted. It is less likely to attract dirt and dust compared to wet lube.
Dry lube can be used for fitting nuts and bolts, door hinges and window latches, zippers, machine parts, chain drives, bearings, power saws, locks, cutting tools and more.
Lubrication mechanism using dry lubricants
Dry lubricants can be used in the form of powders, suspensions, dispersions, pastes and aerosol sprays. Dry lubricants like Tungsten disulfide, Hexagonal boron nitride and Molybdenum disulfide have a layered lattice structure. They exhibit lubricating properties due to their structure.
In the structure, the atoms within a layer have strong covalent bonds, whereas the layers are held together by weak Van der Waals force. The layers easily slide past each other when a shear force is applied. The materials show lubricating properties due to this easy shear. The atoms bonded with strong covalent bonds offer good load-carrying capacity.
Dry lubricants are used in boundary lubrication where the lubricant film becomes too thin to provide total separation between the moving surfaces. In such cases, a thin film of the dry lubricant is adsorbed on the surface by the weak Van der Waals forces. Boundary lubrication is required when the speed is slow and the load is high.
The main purpose of dry lubricants is to build a continuous film on the moving surfaces. The film should adhere firmly to the surface to be lubricated. Dry lubricants are used to separate the two moving parts where effective separation is required and the lubricant must stay in place.
Dry lubricants can be used in high-vacuum applications, aggressive environments, extreme temperature conditions, nuclear reactors and high-load conditions.
Applications of dry lubricants
- Dry lubricants are used in applications where liquid lubricants cannot be used. Dry lubricants are used in space applications as liquid lubricants can boil in the space environment.
- Dry lubricants can be used in low-speed and high-load conditions like in the mining and construction industries.
- They can be used to lubricate the mechanical components operating at low pressure and high temperatures. They can be used to lubricate machines operating in harsh environments.
- They are used in the automotive industry to lubricate the clutch components, brake components and moving parts in the engine. They also help to enhance the wear resistance. They can work effectively in high-temperature and oxidising environments where the liquid lubricants do not survive.
- They are used for lubrication in the sliding motion where the lubricant is required to reduce the wear. In gear and chain lubrication, the liquid lubricant will get squeezed out, whereas the dry lubricant will stay in place.
Dry lubricants can be applied in different ways on the surface to be lubricated. They can be used as a dispersion in oil or water and sprayed. After the solvent evaporates, the coating is cured to get a solid lubricant film. They are used as anti-friction coatings by blending the fine particles of the lubricant with a binder. This mixture can be applied and cured to get a lubricating film on metal surfaces. Other methods of applying dry lubricants include brushing, dipping, free powders and composites. Dry lubricants can provide effective lubrication without the need for a liquid oil medium.
