Mr Versatility AP100
There are several properties of Apiezon AP100 grease which in combination make it one of the most versatile greases in the Apiezon range. Each one of these properties brings different benefits and results in this grease being the optimum choice in a whole host of different applications. To find out more read on…
Lubricity
American Society for Testing and Materials (commonly referred to as ASTM) devised a standard method for determining how effective a given lubricant is in preventing wear, and this test is known as the 4 Ball Wear Test.
A top ceramic ball drives three metal balls below that can rotate freely in a cylindrical housing. The lubricant to be tested is placed between the drive ball and the three rotating balls and the extent to which the ceramic ball is fatigued determines how effective the lubricant is after a given number of rotations.
The versatile Apiezon AP100 grease performs well in this test, and as such is regularly used in high-wear applications such as stepping motors, gearboxes & rotating bearings.
Anti-Seize
In addition to our distilled hydrocarbon formulation, AP100 also contains a micronized synthetic fluoropolymer called Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is the high electronegativity of fluorine that gives PTFE an extremely low coefficient of friction; hence it prevents seizing when the grease is used as a contact between surfaces.
This property has proven invaluable time and again in examples such as the re-aluminizing of telescope mirrors, in the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory vacuum beam line flanges, in electronic motor commutators and even the restoration of an antique air rifle!
Ultra-Low Vapour Pressure
ASTM also created standard E 595 to determine how much mass is lost from a given material due to outgassing under vacuum. AP100 meeting the criteria for this standard was of particular importance in its selection for a superconducting electron accelerator motorized laser cavity mirror change rotation unit.
All in all AP100 is a very versatile creature and continues to be used in interesting not to mention unusual applications to this day.