With the spread and availability of nanotechnologies, unique chemical materials are gaining increasing use in lubricants. In the autoExpert magazine No.12-2013 we provided a fairly comprehensive description of the composition and characteristics of universal lubricants for auto service, and today we will discuss some advanced polymer‑based developments in automotive lubricants and specialty products for auto service.
Polymers in Automotive Engineering
But seriously, polymers and especially fluoropolymers play a significant role in automotive engineering. For example, almost three quarters of the interior trim of passenger cars and buses is now made from decorative plastics, synthetic films, fabrics, and artificial leather. With the achievement of the required strength and heat resistance in polymer materials, they have been entrusted with increasingly demanding tasks. The limits of polymer strength have been overcome by moving to composite materials, mainly glass‑ and carbon‑fibers. The role of polymers in automotive engineering continues to grow, and forecasts indicate that they will become even more prevalent due to a number of advantages over metals.
Polymers: How It All Began…
The mastering of the polymerization process has been closely linked to the automotive sector from the very beginning. As early as 1839, American entrepreneur and inventor Goodyear developed the vulcanization process. Attempts by various scientists to synthesize the first polymers led to the charring of materials, halting further research. However, by 1860 the first man‑made thermoplastic was produced. This is considered the birth date of the entire polymer industry. In 1907 the first synthetic polymer – Bakelite – was synthesized. On the basis of cellulose ethers, on the eve of the Second World War, production of films, fibers, nitro‑resins and thickeners was established. Around the same post‑war period, synthetic rubber, polyvinyl chloride and Plexiglas were discovered, influencing the construction of military equipment and automobiles.
The most common and widely used type of synthetic polymers are various plastics. One of the breakthroughs in polymers was the 1938 discovery of a unique substance – polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which today has become one of the most widespread and well‑known fluoropolymers.
Despite persistent claims to the contrary, polytetrafluoroethylene did not appear as a by‑product of a space program. PTFE was discovered in April 1938 by the 27‑year‑old chemist Roy Plankett of Kinetic Chemicals, who accidentally found that gaseous tetrafluoroethylene (C2F4) he had pressurised into cylinders and stored for several days in a dry‑ice refrigerator spontaneously polymerised into a white, paraffin‑like mass. Moreover, the material, named polytetrafluoroethylene, had an extremely slippery surface and proved astonishingly resistant to virtually all chemicals and solvents, including strongly corrosive acids.
Enterprising Americans quickly found practical applications for the new discovery – initially in the “Manhattan Project” (the code name for the nuclear weapons program of 1942‑1946), and later for kitchenware.
In 1941 Kinetic Chemicals was granted a patent for the material, and in 1949 it became a division of the American company DuPont.
The word “Teflon” is a registered DuPont trademark. The non‑patented name of the substance is “polytetrafluoroethylene” or “fluoropolymer”. In the USSR and Russia the traditional technical name for this material is fluoroplastic.
Fluoroplastic is a white, in thin layers transparent substance that looks like paraffin and polyethylene. Density according to GOST 10007‑80 ranges from 2.18 to 2.21 g/cm³.
It has high heat and cold resistance, remains flexible and elastic at temperatures from –70 to +270 °C, and is an excellent insulating material. It has a very low surface tension and adhesion and does not get wetted by water, oils, or most organic solvents.
Teflon is a soft and pliable material; in its original form it has limited use in load‑bearing structures. DuPont specifies the onset temperature of degradation according to ASTM D3418 for various types of Teflon from 260 °C to 327 °C.
The carbon‑fluorine bond is today considered one of the strongest chemical bonds. As a result, in terms of chemical resistance PTFE surpasses all known synthetic materials and noble metals. It does not degrade under the influence of bases, acids, or even a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids. It is destroyed by molten alkali metals, fluorine, and chlorine trifluoride.
Fluoroplastic is an excellent anti‑friction material, with the lowest sliding friction coefficient among known available engineering materials (even lower than that of melting ice). Due to its softness and flow, solid fluoroplastic sliding bearings are used rarely. In highly loaded joints, metal‑fluoroplastic bearing inserts and metal‑fluoroplastic support strips are used. Such a sliding element withstands dozens of kilograms per square millimeter and consists of a metal base coated with fluoroplastic.
PTFE lubricants
The use of plastics as synthetic organic thickeners has led to new developments in the field of lubricants. PTFE turned out to be one of the most heat‑resistant thickeners for high‑temperature and long‑life lubricants, whose base oils are high‑quality oils such as перфторалкилова складноефірна синтетична олива.
Thus a group of general‑purpose lubricants appeared, which came into the world about forty years ago. They are also called Teflon lubricants. Unlike all other types of lubricants, where thickeners are mainly lithium, calcium, and more rarely a range of other compounds, in Teflon lubricants the thickener of the base oil is an ultra‑dispersed PTFE powder. Teflon lubricants, depending on the properties of the base oil, work excellently in a temperature range from -50 to +260 °C. Their service life, especially at temperatures above +150 °C, is 10–15 times longer than the service life of practically all other lubricant types. The Teflon film that forms on the surface of the oil pair, a few microns thick, sharply reduces the friction coefficient, prevents parts from contacting each other, and protects metal surfaces from corrosion.
All of the above makes PTFE lubricants, in the opinion of experts at the National Institute of Plastic Lubricants (USA), the lubricants of the 21st century. Today Teflon lubricants are listed in the product ranges of virtually all leading lubricant manufacturers.
However, it should be remembered that such lubricants may be used in automotive components only strictly according to the vehicle manufacturer's instructions.
PTFE in oils
Experiments with the poly(tetrafluoroethylene) polymer have led to its use in the oil and lubricant industry, including for automobiles. A widely adopted and, as practice has shown, justified approach is the addition of fine‑dispersed PTFE to various lubricants, which, when it deposits on the metal surfaces that slide against each other, in some cases allows mechanisms to continue operating for a time with a lubrication system that has completely failed, solely due to the anti‑friction properties of fluoroplastic.
Further experiments with fluoroplastic to achieve higher strength characteristics have been ongoing for a long time. Scientists for several decades have successfully experimented with introducing fillers into fluoroplastics such as silicon, graphite, bronze, coke, molybdenum disulfide and others to obtain the required properties. This allows a 200–1000‑fold reduction in wear of the sealing element, a several‑fold increase in thermal conductivity, a 5–10‑fold increase in compressive strength and hardness, while maintaining high resistance to aggressive environments. Adding carbon fiber to fluoroplastic leads to a significant increase in the temperature of thermal deformation, strength, hardness, shear modulus, dimensional stability, resistance to creep and deformation under prolonged load.
Cerflon
One of the latest developments based on poly(tetrafluoroethylene) should be highlighted separately. Successful research on reinforcing PTFE with boron nitride by American scientists led to the synthesis of a unique material called Cerflon. Introducing boron nitride into the PTFE matrix allows a hundred‑fold reduction in wear, a several‑fold reduction in thermal conductivity, compressive strength and hardness. The addition of boron nitride to fluoroplastic also resulted in a significant increase in the temperature of thermal deformation, shear modulus, dimensional stability, resistance to creep and deformation under prolonged load.
Cerflon allows a much greater reduction in wear of the sealing element, a several‑fold increase in thermal conductivity, and an increase in compressive strength and hardness of the material.
The addition of boron nitride has significantly increased the service life and wear resistance of the fluoropolymer. Moreover, boron nitride itself is a good lubricating agent, so the fluoropolymer and boron nitride remain on the surface for a long time, providing extreme lubrication of the parts.
Boron nitride is one of the hardest materials on the planet, approaching diamond in its properties. It is also successfully used as an additive to various lubricants because, as already mentioned, it has excellent lubricating properties.
Since the 1990s, the areas of application of boron nitride in various fields of modern technology have expanded significantly thanks to its extraordinary chemical, mechanical, optical and electrical properties. These properties are retained over a wide temperature range, where boron nitride exhibits high stability (in inert and reducing environments stable up to 1800, in vacuum – up to 1400 and in oxidative environment – up to 1100°C).
Lubricants with Cerflon technology
Today the term Cerflon is widely known among users of firearms and bicycle lubricants. The pioneer of using this material in automotive lubricants is the Belgian company Xenum. We will tell more about Cerflon technology products for auto service and comment on their application specifics.
XCF2 advanced cerflon grease
This multifunctional grease with Cerflon technology represents the highest quality standard among all types of automotive and industrial lubricants. It has an ultra‑low coefficient of friction, which significantly reduces wear, and guarantees excellent protection at high temperatures. It is not compatible with other lubricants.
The durability of Cerflon‑technology grease is achieved by reducing friction – consequently parts last much longer. Experience shows that when this grease is chosen for bearings or support bearings, vehicle owners do not encounter such problems at the service station for at least 3 years. Undoubtedly, this product is more expensive than others, but there is no reason to fear that. In this case, a customer who counts on quality always chooses a good product, regardless of price, because price is always directly proportional to quality.
SUPER 5.1 reinforced with cerflon multi purpose spray
Multipurpose penetrating lubricant reinforced with the Teflon‑ceramic Cerflon technology. Its name “5 in 1” says it all: it lubricates, penetrates, protects, slides, cleans. Intended for professional and household use: lubricating moving parts; protecting against corrosion, rust, water; displacing condensation; protecting the ignition system, preventing electrical problems; cleaning dirty surfaces.
SUPER 5.1 is an analogue of the well‑known product WD‑40. But, as with other cases, Xenum does not bring a product that is better than the analogue to market. Therefore we can confidently say that SUPER 5.1 is the best product thanks to the expanded range of its use. This lubricant can be used both for disassembling assemblies, as it destroys and cleans oxides, rust, carbon deposits, sludge, etc., and after repair or part replacement, applying the lubricant to threaded connections already for protection against oxidation, rust and carbon deposits. Another property – protection from wetting and prevention of electrical short circuits before engine washing. For this, it is necessary to treat the parts that connect the wiring – and you can safely go for an engine wash without worrying about short circuits in the electrical nodes.
CHAIN PRO reinforced with cerflon synthetic chain spray
Synthetic aerosol chain lubricant reinforced with Teflon‑ceramic Cerflon technology. This penetrating anti‑corrosion lubricant provides excellent protection for chains in any operating conditions. The unique formula of Chain Pro with Cerflon penetrates deep into the chain and protects all its components. Afterwards the lubricant becomes very tacky and stays on the surface at very high speeds. With regular use, Chain Pro with Cerflon significantly reduces friction losses. It lubricates, does not fling off, repels water and has a wide temperature range: from -40°C to +250°C. It is used for all standard chains as well as O, X, Z chains of motorcycles, karts, and also in industry.
CHAIN PRO is a well‑known product for lubricating motorcycle drive chains, and again the foundation is – quality. One thing is to declare the properties of chain lubricants, another thing is to make them work. The chain works together with the sprocket and they are prone to high friction. As a result, parts wear out and the noise level increases during operation. In this case CHAIN PRO is intended to protect these parts from wear and reduce noise. Moreover, the lubricant must stay on even at fairly high speeds (220‑240 km/h). Summary: the lubricant stays, noise is reduced, parts are protected.
XC LUBE reinforced with cerflon polymer compound
Polymer aerosol lubricant reinforced with Teflon‑ceramic Cerflon technology.
The lubricant forms a thin durable film that protects against corrosion, salt water, acids. It gives the treated surface water‑repellent properties. It has deep penetrating ability and long‑lasting properties that do not harden. Temperature range: -40°C +200°C.
Application: long‑term protection and lubrication for chains, cables, belts, bearings, open mechanisms, pulleys for cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and the industrial sector.
XC LUBE is a fairly specific product, but it solves a common problem – squeaking of trunk or hood dampers when opening/closing. The lubricant is very fluid, deeply penetrating, and at the same time it stays on the surface. When the squeak returns after a year or two, customers already know where to turn. It takes only a few minutes. It can also be used on dry bearings – in the powertrain, in hard‑to‑reach areas where the lubricant does not reach V‑belts or serpentine belts. If the lubricant is applied to the metal component itself, where there is a protective plastic washer on the bearing, it penetrates inside and the bearing stops making noise.
What is the difference between XC LUBE and SUPER 5.1?
XC LUBE is considered universal and in some cases they can be interchangeable. However, each product also has dominant application areas. While SUPER 5.1 is a broader‑spectrum lubricant that cleans and destroys rust and deposits, then lubricates the joint, XC LUBE is specifically a deep‑penetrating lubricant. In certain operating ranges they truly can be swapped. However, you would not use XC LUBE when you need to clean oxidized surfaces, etc.
X-CUT reinforced with cerflon high performance cutting oil
Oil for lubricating cutting tools, reinforced with Teflon‑ceramic Cerflon technology. This high‑efficiency multifunctional lubricating‑cooling fluid provides excellent lubrication at high cutting speeds, protects and extends the service life of cutting equipment. It is used for protecting equipment during drilling and grinding of steel, non‑ferrous metals, and stainless steel.
X‑CUT tolerates high temperatures exceptionally well, which is especially important, for example, for expensive drills or other tools. This lubricant will be particularly interesting for mechanics who work on engine repairs.
DEBLOCK SHOCK reinforced with cerflon cold rust releaser
Liquid key reinforced with Cerflon technology. A special high‑penetrating dual‑action fluid containing mineral oil and anticorrosion additives. As a result of extreme cooling to about –45 °C, tiny cracks form, allowing the active agent to penetrate and break down rust. Used for freeing intact rusted, corroded, and “acid‑etched” parts.
If DEBLOCK SHOCK does not help, the next step may be a cutter of sorts. Liquid keys usually contain a nitrogen‑based compound that acts as a freeze agent. When DEBLOCK SHOCK freezes, the temperature drops to –40 °C, cracks appear in the rust, and then the lubricant penetrates, aiding the removal of acid‑etched parts. This is a completely different line from WD‑40 and SUPER 5.1. Therefore DEBLOCK SHOCK is considerably more expensive than them, but compared with products from other manufacturers that contain liquid nitrogen, those products are inherently costly.
