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Reduce Friction with

Dicronite® Dry Lubrication

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Reduce Friction with

Dicronite® Dry Lubrication

Request Quote

Problems Caused by Friction

Friction can cause critical problems in mechanical systems. You could be dealing with some of these issues caused by friction:

  • Inefficiency from power losses
  • Elevated operating temperatures
  • Excessive wear
  • Galling and seizing
  • Component failure
  • Full system failure
  • Extra Maintenance
  • Costly downtime

How to Reduce Friction

To prevent failures and reduce inefficiencies caused by friction, we must consider the whole system. 

Friction is a system effect, meaning multiple factors within a mechanical system determine the friction that’s present. 

This can include factors such as:

  • Material type
  • Material pair
  • Contact force
  • Contact geometry
  • Surface roughness
  • Type of motion
  • Lubrication
Tungsten disulfide ws2 covered component

What is Dicronite®?

Dicronite® is a dry lubricant that is used in mechanical systems to reduce friction, improve performance, and prevent failures.

This thin film coating, made of tungsten disulfide, is incredibly lubricious and can withstand extreme high or low temperatures and vacuum environments. In addition, its 0.5 micron average max thickness allows its use on assemblies with extremely tight tolerances.

Engineers trust Dicronite® in their most critical applications, including space, aviation, and defense applications.

This coating creates a blueish gray film when applied, and can be used on all metals, most plastics, and some ceramics, as well as on top of other coatings.

How does Lubrication Reduce Friction?

The molecular structure of Dicronite® forms stacks of thin layers, also referred to as a lamellar structure.

These thin layers are connected to each other by weak bonds that are easily broken. This allows layers to slide along one another with very low resistance, or low friction. With this in mind, optimal performance with Dicronite® is achieved when both contact surfaces are coated.

When Dicronite® is applied on contact surfaces, the material’s layers provide low friction sliding, effectively lubricating the surfaces.

sem photo of tungsten disulfide ws2

Why use Dicronite® to reduce friction?

Originally developed for NASA, Dicronite® is valued for its extreme lubricity and ability to improve performance in various types of industries and applications.

It’s ability to reduce friction and prevent failure in extreme environments like high or low temperatures and vacuum make Dicronite® a critical solution to difficult friction problems.

Engineers have trusted Dicronite® to reduce friction on applications such as:

Why use Dicronite® to reduce friction?

Originally developed for NASA, Dicronite® is valued for its extreme lubricity and ability to improve performance in various types of industries and applications.

It’s ability to reduce friction and prevent failure in extreme environments like high or low temperatures and vacuum make Dicronite® a critical solution to difficult friction problems.

Engineers have trusted Dicronite® to reduce friction on applications such as:

With Dicronite®, users can:

Prevent failures due to friction

Increase efficiency and improve mechanical performance

Reduce sliding wear, extending component life

Avoid costly downtime and repairs

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© Lubrication Sciences International, Inc., 2023. Dicronite® and DL-5® are registered trademarks of Lubrication Sciences International, Inc.

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Sliding Wear

Sliding wear occurs when two surfaces slide against one another causing material loss to one or both surfaces. Over time, this can result in component failures, additional maintenance, and costly down time.  

Coating components with Dicronite® can help minimize this wear and reduce the need for maintenance and down time.

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Tight Tolerance Lubrication

Extremely tight tolerances can present challenges when lubricants or coatings are needed to reduce friction. Many products are available to help reduce friction, but in the case of very tight tolerances, few can be integrated without the need for adjustments.

Dicronite® has an average thickness of 0.5 microns (0.00002 inch) or less. This precision thin film allows users to incorporate Dicronite® on designs with tight tolerances without the need for design or manufacturing changes.

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Vacuum Environment Lubrication

Vacuum environments present a challenge for lubrication. Many conventional lubricants aren’t effective under vacuum and are largely vaporized.

Dicronite® can be used in vacuum to reduce friction where other lubricants can’t function. The outgassing of Dicronite® under vacuum conditions is well below screening levels for spacecraft materials per ASTM E595.

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Energy Lost to Friction

Friction is wasted energy! Systems with critical mechanical power output need to be extremely efficient.

Dicronite® optimizes mechanical efficiency by reducing friction losses and can even work in tandem with existing lubrication to further optimize efficiency.

Dicronite® is especially useful in precision systems, extreme environments, or where minimizing size and weight is vital.

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Fretting

Fretting is a unique form of sliding wear that occurs when contact surfaces oscillate over a very small range of motion. Although it may seem minor, this surface wear can ultimately lead to fatigue cracking and devastating damage.

Dicronite® helps remedy fretting by providing lubrication at contact surfaces. This effectively reduces the wear and surface stresses that cause so much damage.

Dicronite® can be integrated into existing designs and assemblies without any other adjustments for seamless reduction of fretting wear.

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Extreme Temperature Lubrication

Extreme low or high temperatures can be challenging environments for lubrication. At low temperatures, conventional lubricants may be too viscous to be effective, while extreme high temperatures can result in breakdown of the lubricant.

Dicronite can be used in extreme environments to ensure effective lubrication while also being used in combination with oils and greases.

Dicronite is stable across a wide temperature range:

  • up to approximately 538°C (1000°F) in air
  • up to approximately 1316°C (2400°F) in vacuum
  • down to approximately -188°C (-305°F)

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Excessive Heat from Friction

As friction in an assembly generates heat, elevated temperatures can result in unwanted operating conditions.

This can cause overheating and accelerate the breakdown of materials, resulting in costly maintenance and down time or destructive failure.

Proper lubrication can help minimize friction, reduce heat, and increase mechanical efficiency. Coat parts with Dicronite® to avoid excessive maintenance and ensure components will run as efficiently as possible.

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