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Dry Film Lubricant for the

Aerospace Industry

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Dry Film Lubricant for Aerospace

Originally developed for NASA, Dicronite® has been used to keep mechanical systems for aviation/aerospace reliable and precise. The coating provides precision friction reduction and ensures reliability in some of aerospace’s toughest environments.

Originally developed for NASA, Dicronite® has been used to keep mechanical systems for aviation/aerospace reliable and precise. The coating provides precision friction reduction and ensures reliability in some of aerospace’s toughest environments.

Dicronite® Coating

Aerospace Engineers use Dicronite® when:

  • extreme high or low temperatures limit the function of other lubricants
  • a vacuum environment prevents the use of other lubricants
  • precision tolerances must be maintained
  • friction is causing galling between components during installation/assembly
  • there is too much resistance in the motion of an assembly
  • a need to maximize performance of a component
  • sliding wear is limiting component lifetime
  • trying to avoid costly redesign

More in Space:

Common Aerospace Applications Include:

Common aerospace applications that use Dicronite® include but are not limited to:

  • actuators
  • bearings
  • bushings
  • cylinders
  • discs
  • electrical connectors
  • fasteners
  • gears
  • nuts
  • pins
  • plates
  • rings
  • rivets
  • rods
  • shafts
  • threads
  • valves
  • washers

Key Features of Dicronite®

  • Ability to outperform in various atmosphere conditions (humidity, vacuum, etc.)
  • Can withstand extreme temperatures (-188° C to +538° C) 
  • 0.5 micron thickness won't interfere with tolerances
  • Meets AMS2530 spec. AS9100 certrified. NADCAP accredited facilities.

Dicronite® Coating Information

Highlighted Dicronite® Use Cases:

FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers

Yes. If you call out the specific areas that Dicronite® is prohibited, we can mask accordingly.

We have a facility that is both ITAR registered and Nadcap certified.

Our standard process conforms to SAE-AMS2530, so we can process all orders with drawings calling out this spec. DOD-L-85645A was canceled and superseded with SAE-AMS2530 by the Department of Defense, so all callouts of DOD-L-85645A flow to the requirements of SAE-AMS2530. We can process orders with either callout!

Wear is a system effect, so it can be difficult to estimate the lifetime in each application. Dicronite® should be used for applications where sliding wear is present, but not abrasive wear – this is too aggressive for the soft, lubricious Dicronite® coating. In applications where an extensive wear life is required, it is common for Dicronite® to be applied on top of a hard, wear resistant coating.

We recommend testing to ensure Dicronite® is sufficient for your application and are always happy to coat a small order of parts to support your testing!

Dicronite® can be applied to all metals, most plastics, and some ceramics. In addition, Dicronite® can be applied on top of many other coatings or platings such as Nickel, Zinc, Chrome, Anodize, DLC, and more.

Dicronite® provides only minor corrosion prevention. However, many customers use Dicronite® on top of coatings or platings that do prevent corrosion for combined corrosion resistance and friction reduction.

We recommend cleaning coated surfaces with isopropyl alcohol or mineral spirits, but other solvent or solutions may also be used. Avoid using cleaners that are very acidic or basic.

If wiping coated surfaces, use a soft cloth. Note that when wiping a coated surface, you may find a residue coming from the part – this is normal. It is not necessary to wipe the coated surface until no residue is wiped from the surface. The coating naturally “smudges” or “smears” as part of its ability to lubricate.

Coated parts should be handled to prevent physical damage to coated surfaces such as scratching, scraping, or abrasion. In addition, parts should be stored in a manner that prevents corrosion of the underlying substrate. If the part begins corroding underneath the Dicronite® coating this can diminish the performance of the coating.

Aerospace dry lubrication for 65+ years. 

Questions about Dicronite® in your aerospace application? 

Our experts are here to help. 

Ready for an official quote & lead time?
Submit RFQ here. 

© Lubrication Sciences International, Inc., 2023. Dicronite® and DL-5® are registered trademarks of Lubrication Sciences International, Inc.

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Sliding Wear

Sliding wear occurs when two surfaces slide against one another causing material loss to one or both surfaces. Over time, this can result in component failures, additional maintenance, and costly down time.  

Coating components with Dicronite® can help minimize this wear and reduce the need for maintenance and down time.

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Tight Tolerance Lubrication

Extremely tight tolerances can present challenges when lubricants or coatings are needed to reduce friction. Many products are available to help reduce friction, but in the case of very tight tolerances, few can be integrated without the need for adjustments.

Dicronite® has an average thickness of 0.5 microns (0.00002 inch) or less. This precision thin film allows users to incorporate Dicronite® on designs with tight tolerances without the need for design or manufacturing changes.

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Vacuum Environment Lubrication

Vacuum environments present a challenge for lubrication. Many conventional lubricants aren’t effective under vacuum and are largely vaporized.

Dicronite® can be used in vacuum to reduce friction where other lubricants can’t function. The outgassing of Dicronite® under vacuum conditions is well below screening levels for spacecraft materials per ASTM E595.

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Energy Lost to Friction

Friction is wasted energy! Systems with critical mechanical power output need to be extremely efficient.

Dicronite® optimizes mechanical efficiency by reducing friction losses and can even work in tandem with existing lubrication to further optimize efficiency.

Dicronite® is especially useful in precision systems, extreme environments, or where minimizing size and weight is vital.

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Fretting

Fretting is a unique form of sliding wear that occurs when contact surfaces oscillate over a very small range of motion. Although it may seem minor, this surface wear can ultimately lead to fatigue cracking and devastating damage.

Dicronite® helps remedy fretting by providing lubrication at contact surfaces. This effectively reduces the wear and surface stresses that cause so much damage.

Dicronite® can be integrated into existing designs and assemblies without any other adjustments for seamless reduction of fretting wear.

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Extreme Temperature Lubrication

Extreme low or high temperatures can be challenging environments for lubrication. At low temperatures, conventional lubricants may be too viscous to be effective, while extreme high temperatures can result in breakdown of the lubricant.

Dicronite can be used in extreme environments to ensure effective lubrication while also being used in combination with oils and greases.

Dicronite is stable across a wide temperature range:

  • up to approximately 538°C (1000°F) in air
  • up to approximately 1316°C (2400°F) in vacuum
  • down to approximately -188°C (-305°F)

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Excessive Heat from Friction

As friction in an assembly generates heat, elevated temperatures can result in unwanted operating conditions.

This can cause overheating and accelerate the breakdown of materials, resulting in costly maintenance and down time or destructive failure.

Proper lubrication can help minimize friction, reduce heat, and increase mechanical efficiency. Coat parts with Dicronite® to avoid excessive maintenance and ensure components will run as efficiently as possible.

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