Dear experts, what is the self-lubrication mechanism of polytetrafluoroethylene?
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As the title says. . . .
This is determined by the properties of the material itself; it has a very low coefficient of friction, which allows it to self-lubricate.
Can it be understood in this way that, because the friction coefficient is low, no other lubricants are needed, which is equivalent to self-lubrication?
1 Small experiment: When oily food is stored in Lekou plastic lunch boxes, cleaning them proves to be more difficult compared to ceramic, metal, or glass containers. 2 The surface of polytetrafluoroethylene material is very dense; a small amount of oily residue acts as a lubricant, allowing it to fill in the gaps on the plastic surface and thereby reducing friction significantly
Yes, but the time span cannot be arbitrarily long.
There are two main categories of polytetrafluoroethylene materials: pure tetrafluoroethylene and filled tetrafluoroethylene. Pure tetrafluoroethylene possesses self-lubricating properties, which are determined by the molecular bonds within the material itself; this is reflected in the material’s density, flexibility, toughness, ability to undergo tensile deformation, and good heat resistance. Filled tetrafluoroethylene contains graphite and/or copper alloys, and it also has lubricating properties. Both of these categories can be used as seals for parts that experience relative motion, such as fillers, piston rings, seal rings, and oil scrapper rings.