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Krytox

Group of industrial lubricants

Krytox
Summary

Group of industrial lubricants

grease]] pictured alongside a tube of [[Dow Corning]] silicone grease (green). Both are often used in laboratories, including in high-vacuum applications, due to their inertness.

Krytox, a registered trademark of The Chemours Company, is a group of colorless synthetic lubricants (oils and greases) with a variety of applications. Invented by researchers at DuPont, Krytox oils are fluorocarbon ether polymers of hexafluoropropylene oxide, with a chemical formula: F−(CF(CF3)−CF2−O)n−CF2CF3, where the degree of polymerization, n, generally lies within the range of 10 to 60. These compounds are collectively known by many names including perfluoropolyether (PFPE), perfluoroalkylether (PFAE), and perfluoropolyalkylether (PFPAE). A unique identifier is their CAS registry number, 60164-51-4.

In addition to PFPE, Krytox grease also contains telomers of PTFE and in fact was designed as a liquid or grease form of PTFE. It is thermally stable, nonflammable (even in liquid oxygen), and insoluble in water, acids, bases, and most organic solvents. It is nonvolatile and useful over a broad temperature range of -75 to or higher. Its high resistance to ionizing radiation makes it useful for the aerospace and nuclear industries. Formulations exist which are able to withstand extreme pressure, resist outgassing in high vacuum, and operate under intense mechanical stress.{{cite web | access-date = 2017-06-30

Other companies manufacture PFPE lubricants, such as Solvay's Fomblin range,{{cite web | access-date = 2017-06-30 | access-date = 2017-06-30 | archive-date = 2017-01-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170124185327/https://www.chemours.com/Lubricants/en_US/assets/downloads/new/K-15430-Krytox-Crossover-Card.pdf | url-status = dead

archive-date=21 May 2024}}</ref>

Safety

The manufacturer states on Krytox tubes, "May cause mild skin and eye irritation. Contact with very hot surfaces (above 500°F/260°C) can generate fumes which can cause coughing or respiratory irritation. Large amounts could lead to lung damage which might not be apparent for several hours. These fumes may also cause flu-like symptoms."

References

References

  1. Günter Siegemund, Werner Schwertfeger, Andrew Feiring, Bruce Smart, Fred Behr, Herward Vogel, Blaine McKusick. (2002). "Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry". Wiley-VCH.
  2. "DuPont Krytox Performance Lubricants Product Overview".
  3. (2024). "Synthesis Report on Understanding Perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) and Their Life Cycle". OECD.
  4. (July 2025). "Krytox® PFPE/PTFE Greases (GPL 20(X) Series) Material Safety Data Sheet". Dupont.
  5. (July 2025). "Krytox® PFPE Oils Material Safety Data Sheet". DuPont.
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

non-petroleum-based-lubricants dupont fluorocarbons fluoropolymers perfluoropolyethers
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