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MicroLubrol™ 2 oz TUNGSTEN DISULFIDE WS2 Powder ULTRA FINE 0.5 micron BEST LUBE GRADE, 2 oz Bottle


Price: $24.95
In Stock
FEATURES:
- Can be coated on a surface by buffing, spraying or tumbling
- Compatible with ALL metals, ALL plastics and elastomers, water, solvents, fuels, oils, paints, plastic resins
- Superior thermal stability
- Resistant to oxidation at high temperatures
- Extreme contact pressure lubricanting action
- Ultra low coefficient of friction: 0.03
- Lowest coefficient of friction of any of the commonly used dry lubricants including molybdenum disulfide, graphite and hexagonal boron nitride
- Maintains a low coefficient of friction up to 1100ºF
- Temperature use range superior to molybdenum disulfide and to other dry lubricants: from -450ºF (-270ºC) to 1200ºF (650ºC) in air.
- Superior load bearing ability to MoS2
- Chemically inert in lubrication applications
- Lubricates extremely well under all conditions: heat, cold, pressure, vacuum and high loads
- Superior anti-galling & anti-seizing properties
- Compatible with other lubricants
- 0.4 to 0.6 micron grade is best for dry lubrication and coating of metal parts
- Non-magnetic

APPLICATIONS:
- Automotive parts including pistons & cylinders
- Bearings
- Solid Lubricant for metal or plastic parts
- Ammunition
- Machinery Components
- Punches & Dies
- Marine Parts
- Spindles, Shafts & Seals
- Sliding or Rotating Components
- Valve Seats, plungers and other components
- Actuator components
- Robotics
- Sporting Goods
- Cutting Tools
- Friction Lowering additive for oil.

SPECIFICATIONS:
- Material: Tungsten Disulfide (WS2, tungsten sulfide, bis(sulfanylidene)tungsten)
- Purity: 99.9%
- Average Particle Size (APS): 0.5 micrometers (microns, µm, micrometers), approximately 12000 mesh equivalent ("mesh" is a measure of the fineness of a material separation screen, but due to the impossibility of weaving such fine wires or filaments to produce such a fine screen there are no actual screens with mesh finer than 600 available, so the number is for relative particle size comparison only).
- Coefficient of Friction (COF): 0.03
- Density: 7.4 gms/cc
- Hardness: Approx. 1.0-1.5 on Moh's hardness scale.

In a CONVENIENT, RESEALABLE plastic SQUEEZE bottle w/ applicator top (applicator tip comes factory sealed "blind" so user can cut off tip for fine or wider tip opening hole).

- What is Tungsten Disulfide? Tungsten Disulfide, also known as Tungsten Sulfide or WS2 ("W" is the chemical symbol for Wolfram which is the original chemical name for Tungsten), is a chemical compound that occurs naturally as the mineral Tungstenite and that can also be produced chemically. It is one of the most lubricious materials known. With a coefficient of friction of only 0.03, it is a superb dry lubricant that is superior in lubricity to molybdenum disulfide and graphite.

- How does Tungsten Disulfide work? Tungsten is part of the same chemical family as molybdenum, but it is heavier and more stable. Just like in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), the tungsten atoms are "cushioned" between the soft sulfur atoms (see illustration below) resulting in a kind of sandwich effect like chunky peanut butter covered by soft bread. In addition, WS2 like MoS2 is a "lamellar" or flake type solid. The flat "sandwiches" or flakes formed by the molybdenum and sulfur atoms provide even more lubrication action due to their very shape, as the WS2 micro flakes slide one over the other similarly to how the cards in a brand new deck of playing cards being shuffled all over a table slide very easily one over another. The sub-micron particles help smooth over even the smallest crevices on a surface so the WS2 fully impregnates the surface where it is applied and remains there, maintaining effective lubrication.

- Why is Tungsten Disulfide not used more often than other dry lubricants like MoS2 and graphite? The answer used to be price and availability. Tungsten disulfide is not a new material and has been around as long as MoS2. Tungsten Disulfide has been used for many years in the aerospace, automotive and aviation industries as well as in military applications, but it had traditionally been a very expensive product that was difficult to obtain in small quantities. However, more recently WS2 prices have moderated while MoS2 prices have risen, and we purchase our WS2 material in large quantity directly from the processor. As a result, the decision today of whether to use WS2 or MoS2 is more one of personal preference and lubrication application specifics rather than price.

- Where is Tungsten Disulfide better suited than Molybdenum Disulfide? The answer, we think, is more one of personal preference although there are a few points to consider. In general, for very high temperature applications (we're talking over 600ºF / 315ºC), WS2 would be a better choice because it is more stable at higher temperatures, up to 1200ºF (650ºC). When burnished (rubbed into) plastics, MoS2 seems to stay on better. Both WS2 and MoS2 work very well on metal surfaces. We also have observed that WS2 is a bit easier to clean off from surfaces so it's a bit less "messy" to handle than MoS2. When being used as an extreme contact pressure additive, our personal preference is MoS2 for greases, but WS2 seems to work better with oils and other liquids probably due to the smaller particle size which allows it to remain in suspension longer and to use a lesser amount in the WS2/liquid mixture. As far as coefficient of friction, WS2 is definitely better than MoS2, but not by a lot. WS2 is also much more stable than MoS2 when in contact with chemicals and in oxidizing conditions especially at higher temperatures. - Ultra fine 0.5 micron grade is really fine, but is finer better? Although a finer grade, sometimes referred to as "nano" grade, is available (for a horribly expensive price!), for the overwhelming majority of dry lubrication applications, or applications where the WS2 is mixed with a grease or with an oil or other liquid carrier such as water, alcohol or a solvent, it is not necessary to use a finer grade. The tungsten disulfide powder, like molybdenum disulfide, has an extremely low hardness and will be worked well into even the smallest imperfections of the friction areas by the moving surfaces themselves. And we are not aware of any application where "nano" size WS2 has been proven to be better than sub-micron grade WS2 for lubrication. BUT, there is an EXTREMELY GOOD reason NOT to use a finer grade: SAFETY. The tungsten disulfide grade finer than 0.4 to 0.6 micron is in the "nanoparticle" range, so called because the average particle size (APS) is in the 1 to 100 "nanometer" range (1 nanometer = 1 BILLIONTH of a meter). A lot has been reported recently in the news about nanoparticles in scientific breakthroughs and high technology products, and nanoparticles are being used in some pretty unique and amazing applications, but nanoparticles must be handled under very special conditions to avoid safety issues. Nanoparticles, regardless of the material they are made of, are so small that they can actually penetrate human skin on contact and be absorbed into the bloodstream. They also become airborne very easily and often undetectably, and if aspirated they can immediately enter the bloodstream in the lungs or if absorbed in the eyes. These effects are NOT an exaggeration, and are documented by many sources online. Rubber gloves may only offer limited protection against nanoparticles, and a high efficiency dust mask like those rated as "N95" or even safety goggles may not offer enough protection against airborne nanoparticles. For these reasons, we strongly believe that it is inadvisable for any individual, even for industrial users, to handle "nano" grade tungsten disulfide powder, or ANY "nano" grade material for that matter, without proper environmental controls and adequate personal protection.

Item Number: MLWS2-2B
Manufacturer: MicroLubrol
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