DuPont™ Molykote® Anti-Friction Coatings

Long life lubrication with high added value and high performance

Often described as “lubricating paints,” MOLYKOTE® AFCs contain solid lubricants-rather than color pigments-dispersed in carefully selected resin blends and solvents. The choice of raw materials and the concentration of each ingredient are important in customizing each coating to the application.

MOLYKOTE® AFCs form a dry film and optimize the friction of metal, plastic and elastomer parts, even under heavy loads and harsh operating and environmental conditions.

The coatings are easily applied by spraying, brushing, dipping, roller coating or screen printing. After curing, the dry, adherent lubricating film provides durable wear protection, with some level of corrosion protection, and is resistant to dust and contamination.

This makes MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings ideal for use in dirty, dusty and wet environments and on inaccessible parts that require long-term lubrication.

Economical to apply, durable and popular in applications where other lubricants fail, MOLYKOTE® AFCs offer the following benefits:

Dry, clean lubrication unaffected by dust, dirt and moisture.
Lifetime lubrication without aging, evaporation or oxidation.
Rust prevention without surface treatment (e.g. galvanizing)
Non-flammable and non-smearing protection on metals, plastics and elastomers
Controlled film thickness for exact load capacities
Fully effective lubrication, even after extended downtime

MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings help customers improve safety, reliability and performance by controlling friction and wear, preventing component failure, extending lubrication intervals and reducing production and operating costs.

Achieving results under difficult conditions

Principles and conditions of operation

MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings are particularly effective under conditions of peripheral and mixed friction, as illustrated by the Stribeck curve (Figure 1). Under these conditions, direct metal-to-metal contact and wear occurs because fluid hydrodynamic lubrication cannot be achieved.

In MOLYKOTE® antifriction coatings, solid lubricants are held on the substrate surface by the adhesive strength of the resin package, so that the surfaces are always separated by an effective dry film, whether at very low speeds, oscillating motions or high loads. MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings can also support hydrodynamic lubrication as a run-in enhancer. In addition, RAFs provide lubricity in the event of hydrodynamic film breakdown.

Typical lapping effect and friction value

Antifriction coatings are typically applied at a dry film thickness of 10 to 20 µm. Under load, the film structure is compacted, producing an extremely smooth surface covering the asperities of the carrier material (Figure 3). The coefficient of friction values of MoS2-based antifriction coatings are compared to those of PTFE-based coatings in Figure 4. The friction coefficient value of MoS2-based coatings decreases after a short running-in phase.

Innovating through collaborative application engineering

MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings offer refined solutions through a customer-driven development process, made possible by our global collaboration network and technical development centers equipped with the latest tribological and analytical technologies. When
customers work with us, they receive all the benefits of our technology:

Tribological testing capabilities, from standard datasheet test methods to custom-designed test stands to meet specific customer applications.
Equipment to replicate part motion over a wide range of loads, environmental conditions, temperatures and speeds (VETC) to facilitate all stages of development – from prototype to production and maintenance.
In-house coating research and development
In-depth knowledge of resin and solid lubricant technology
Regional experts who translate customer application challenges into measurable lubricant solutions.

In addition, we support coating line designs, process improvements, and recommendations for coating shops. Combining DuPont™ resins with MOLYKOTE® lubricants expertise and advanced formulations will help us develop better solutions for emerging trends and challenges.

Solutions for a wide range of applications

As fail-safe lubricants, MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings are trusted by the world’s leading engineers and manufacturers and are recognized for uses where maximum wear resistance is required in a variety of applications – from increasingly electrified, autonomous and energy-efficient vehicles to industrial challenges where functionality, connectivity, safety and durability are essential.

Together, we can create lubrication solutions for your specific automotive and industrial applications. The following pages show examples of common applications for MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings.

Piston skirt coating

MOLYKOTE® D-10-GBL Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-6024 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® PA 744 Anti-Friction Coating

For increased durability and emergency lubrication of pistons and piston rings; reduces noise and scuffing while increasing efficiency and fuel economy; screen-printable.

Starter motor anchors

MOLYKOTE® D-6600 Anti-Friction Coating

Low friction for lifetime metal-to-metal durability; suitable for start&stop systems.

Exhaust manifold gaskets

MOLYKOTE® D-6900 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-7620 Anti-Friction Coating

Improves sealing properties and avoids micro-drying at high temperatures to meet Euro 6 standards; allows easier disassembly; designed for coating coils and rolls.

Locking mechanisms, locking plates and locking levers, safety mechanisms.

MOLYKOTE® 3400A LF Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-708 Anti-Friction Coating

Long-term lubrication and corrosion protection; not affected by dust

Door panels, armrests, brackets, interior trim

MOLYKOTE® D-96 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-9630 Anti-Friction Coating

Lifetime noise performance where unfavorable material combinations are combined; when used in place of non-woven tape, it eliminates squeaks and rattles and is an economical solution.

Composants des ceintures de sécurité

MOLYKOTE® D-6600 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-708 Anti-Friction Coating

Low-friction dry lubrication for extended life of metal-to-metal couples; does not stain.

Caliper springs and brake clips

MOLYKOTE® D-708 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-709 Anti-Friction Coating

Dry lubrication of the steel springs in the sliding guides of the brake pads of the calipers; works in conjunction with a dry lubricant as an insulating corrosion protection coating.

Air conditioner swashplates

MOLYKOTE® D-6818 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-7409 Anti-Friction Coating

Excellent lubrication performance, high wear resistance, easy processing, excellent chemical resistance.

Air conditioner pistons

MOLYKOTE® D-6927 Anti-Friction Coating

Excellent lubrication performance; excellent chemical resistance to refrigerant and compressor oil; high wear resistance under normal conditions; effective processing capability.

Gears

MOLYKOTE® D-7409 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® 7400 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-321 R Anti-Friction Coating

High load capacity for the protection of heavily loaded gears against running-in.

Threaded connections

MOLYKOTE® D-708 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-3484 Anti-Friction Coating

Defined and consistent friction levels and corrosion protection for bolts, studs and nuts.

Chains

MOLYKOTE® D-7409 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-3484 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-321 R Anti-Friction Coating

Long-term friction reduction for pins (MOLYKOTE® D-7409 anti-friction coating, MOLYKOTE® D-3484 anti-friction coating); reliable lubrication for complete chains (MOLYKOTE® D-321 R anti-friction coating)

Springs

MOLYKOTE® D-321 R Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-3484 Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® D-7409 Anti-Friction Coating

Reduced friction to eliminate stick-slip and increase efficiency.

Valves

MOLYKOTE® D-7409 Anti-Friction Coating

Efficient operation; eliminates stick-slip; high chemical and fluid resistance.

General assembly

MOLYKOTE® D-321 R Anti-Friction Coating
MOLYKOTE® 3402-C LF Anti-Friction Coating

Powerful dry film lubricants for easy assembly of sliding parts; MOLYKOTE® 3402-C LF anti-friction coating also provides good corrosion protection; MOLYKOTE® D-321 R anti-friction coating is also available in aerosol form.

Rubber and plastic components, such as O-rings and seals

MOLYKOTE® D-9100 Anti-Friction Coating

Translucent dry coating for rubber and plastic components; reduces and controls friction, wear and noise; flexible coating resists partial elongation; excellent adhesion; long life; high productivity and processing speed with UV cure.

Product selection

Selected coatings for corrosion protection

Friction values and specific properties

Dispensing method

The coating process

To ensure the effectiveness and full life of MOLYKOTE® anti-friction coatings, a proper coating process must be followed (Figure 5). Surface pretreatment plays a critical role in the life and performance of the coating. Depending on the material, this can include processes such as solvent sonication, degreasing, sandblasting, detergent washing, phosphating, anodizing, acid washing, electronic coating, corona/plasma treatment and others (Figure 6).

Once the pretreated parts are dry and clean, a variety of methods-varying with the geometry, weight, amount, and viscosity of the coating fluid-can be used to apply the antifriction coating, including dip spinning, barrel spraying, HVLP spraying, screen printing, brushing, rolling, and coil coating.

Once the coating is applied to the substrate, a curing process is required. The curing time (from 2 to 90 minutes) and temperature required (from room temperature to 250°C) can vary depending on the curing mechanism (heat, air or UV).