Among a huge variety of various lubricants, graphite lubricant is not the last. Its application has a strictly defined area, which is due to its properties.
In a nutshell about graphite ...
This tool got its name from the substance of the same name,
included in its composition. It is he who gives the lubricant certain properties. What is graphite? This substance is gray, although it is distinguished by a variety of shades - from black to silver. Has a metallic oily sheen. It has the ability to form thin films if you rub it with a hard surface. Based on it, a lubricant is used that is used in various industries.
Graphite grease: features and properties
GOST 3333 80 graphite grease - this is how this substance is indicated in the nomenclature sheets of enterprises. For its manufacture, colloidal graphite preparations are used. In fact, such a lubricant is nothing but petroleum oil, which is thickened with calcium soap. Graphite itself, which gave the name to the substance, is only 10%. It looks like a homogeneous mass, which has a black or dark brown color. Graphite grease in its composition is almost identical to solid oil. The difference is the addition of graphite and the use of a more viscous oil, on the basis of which the substance is produced.
Graphite lubricant has the following properties:
- It does not evaporate even at a temperature of +150 degrees.
- It is not subject to corrosion, therefore it protects the workpiece from rust.
- The composition of this substance is not more than 3% of water.
- Its use is recommended at temperatures from -20 to +70 degrees. And in some springs, the temperature regime is allowed and below - 20 degrees.
Application of graphite grease
Graphite lubricant is used today in many areas of production:
- Most often it is used for slow-moving heavy machinery. In the suspension of tractors, in springs, in the supports of drill bits (those same diamond heads that produce oil), in gear transmissions. In all these mechanisms, the increase in resistance that is caused by lubrication does not play any role.But for precision parts, such as bearings, this tool is not suitable. It can cause damage to the elements or their wear. This is facilitated by the mechanical impurities that make up graphite.
- Graphite grease can also be used for preventive purposes. For example, it processes ordinary castles in the winter. Thus, they do not freeze and open well. All kinds of additives in the composition contribute to the dissolution of ice and the removal of rust, thereby protecting the locking mechanism.
When choosing this grease, you need to be very careful, as recently cases of fakes have been quite often noticed. Therefore, preference should be given to goods that are produced by well-known firms with a good reputation. And it is advisable to make purchases in specialized stores. Indeed, the stable operation of equipment for various purposes depends on the quality of this material.