Lubricomp(R)
Lubriloy®, a patented series of proprietary lubricated composites, offers properties approaching that of PTFE lubricated materials at lower costs.
These internal lubricant packages, combined with other reinforcements, yield an almost limitless choice of compounds to meet a variety of application needs where lubrication is required. Lubricomp® and Lubriloy® composites provide superior resistance to friction and corrosion in demanding wear applications such as frames, chassis', gears, bearings, and bushings in business machine, automotive, industrial, and consumer markets.
Lubricants
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) has the lowest coefficient of friction of any known internal lubricant (0.02). The molecular weight and particle size of the PTFE used in an LNP Lubricomp® composite is custom-tailored to yield the optimum improvements for each resin system in wear, friction, and PV. PTFE particles in a composite shear to create a PTFE film over the thermoplastic surface. This film then transfers to the mating surface providing a PTFE film on the lubricated composite and the metal or plastic counterface. In general, optimum PTFE loadings of 15% in amorphous and elastomeric base resins and 20% for crystalline base resins provide the lowest wear rates. Higher PTFE loadings have minimal effects on further reduction in wear rate, although frictional coefficients will continue to decrease.
Silicone - Behaves as a boundary lubricant, and significant reductions in wear rates and coefficients of friction occur when it is compounded at low levels in thermoplastics. Silicone migrates to the surface of a molded or extruded part. The result is a continuous generation of silicone film which serves as a boundary or mixed film lubricant.
A PTFE/silicone lubricant system provides immediate lubrication from the silicone for reduced break-in periods versus PTFE lubrication alone. A combined system also enhances wear at high speeds and higher PV performance compared to PTFE lubrication alone.
Graphite - Low friction, high temperature powders used to reduce wear and coefficient of friction in aqueous operating environments. When combined with mineral fillers in low shrinkage amorphous resins, graphite has traditionally been used in water meter and sprinkler components.
Aramid-fibers provide the most lubricity of reinforcing fibers and are typically used at levels of 15% or less by weight. Used in conjunction with PTFE, aramid can help to further reduce wear rates and frictional coefficients. The primary advantage of aramid reinforcement is in counterface wear and abrasion, particularly against soft metals such as brass, aluminum, and bronze.
Molybdenum Disulfide - A solid lubricant primarily compounded into nylon base resins to reduce wear rates and increase PV limits. Moly also acts as a nucleating agent which enables the molded part to have a very fine crystalline structure resulting in reduced "slip-stick" behavior in many bearing applications.
Reinforcements
Glass Fibers - The most widely used reinforcing fiber. Lubricomp® and Lubriloy® composites use all glass contents ranging from 5% to 50% by weight on most base resins. Glass fiber reinforcement offers high strength and stiffness, high heat deflection temperatures, and greater creep resistance than unreinforced base resins.
Carbon Fibers - Provides greater increases in mechanical properties than an equivalent weight percentage of glass fibers. In addition, base resins utilizing carbon fiber reinforcement have lower coefficients of friction than the unreinforced base resin. Lubricomp® compounds can contain loading levels of 5% to 40% by weight in all base resins.
LNP Engineering Plastics, Inc., 475 Creamery Way. Tel: 610-363-4500; Fax: 610-363-4749.