| There are many uses for fluorochemicals | | | | painfully obvious. There are several |
| and organic halocarbon compounds in | | | | metals (sodium and potassium) and other |
| industry and commerce. Sometimes | | | | compounds (liquid fluorine and chlorine |
| fluoro-chemicals are the safer | | | | trifluoride) that don't play well with |
| alternative to chemicals that were | | | | these synthetic oils. |
| designed to use chlorine instead. There | | | | Other industrial uses for fluorochemical |
| are many medical applications of | | | | lubricants involve those with the |
| halocarbon chemicals, too, such as a | | | | longest chains - synthetic waxes. These |
| wide range of anaesthetic compounds. | | | | are very often used in conjunction with |
| However, the most directly industrial | | | | the metals industry as coatings. While |
| use is as the wide range of synthetic, | | | | waxes are most often used with finished |
| inert oils available today. | | | | products, oils are sometimes used to |
| Perhaps most notably, these oils are | | | | coat the inside of pumps that may be |
| entirely synthetic - using no | | | | used with highly reactive substances. |
| hydrocarbon constituents - these | | | | Many industries that routinely use |
| synthetic oils are totally inert and | | | | dangerous chemicals rely upon inert oils |
| able to be used in applications with | | | | and lubricants. The bleaching of wood |
| pure high pressure oxygen or chlorine. | | | | pulp for paper and (ironically perhaps) |
| They are also unusually resistant to | | | | the treatment of water sources with |
| degradation, even under extreme | | | | chlorine and are two examples of |
| conditions such as those encountered at | | | | industries that are dependent upon |
| a foundry, as in the case of | | | | halocarbon oils to keep safe. Many |
| metalworking fluids. | | | | chemical firms rely upon such inert oils |
| Of course, fluorine is a remarkable and | | | | as inert solvents. |
| dangerous substance. Utterly toxic in | | | | There are several "aggressive" |
| its native form, it tightly bonds with | | | | substances that require equipment to be |
| other atoms. Its reactions are intense | | | | coated or lubricated with a substance |
| and unique. In the case of inert oils or | | | | that will stand up to chemical attack. |
| lubricants, the hydrogens of a typical | | | | Fluorochemicals are especially good at |
| petrochemical lubricant are all removed, | | | | resisting chemicals such as |
| leaving only fluorine and chlorine | | | | full-strength hydrogen peroxide, |
| tightly in their place. | | | | chlorine and liquid oxygen. Many labs |
| It is no wonder that the use of | | | | choose to use inert lubricants as high |
| fluorochemical lubricants has been so | | | | temperature grease to lubricate lab |
| widespread in industry. Possibly, the | | | | equipment. |
| only thing keeping synthetic oil from | | | | Just as synthetic lubricants are |
| being far more widely adopted is the | | | | suitable for high temperature |
| price associated with them. This is a | | | | applications, they are also ideally |
| consequence of the danger and complexity | | | | suited to very low temperature |
| inherent with fluorochemical | | | | applications because the viscosity can |
| manufacture. Some industries have a | | | | be very finely tailored to the job. As |
| choice and prefer to stick with other | | | | you might expect from the same element |
| options, though recycling halocarbon | | | | that is at the core of non-stick |
| oils can make the cost of their use | | | | coatings for frying pans, these inert |
| lower. | | | | lubricants remain quite slippery even |
| However, at the turn of the 21st | | | | under adverse conditions. |
| century, there are plenty of industries | | | | Because fluorinated synthetic lubricants |
| and trades where fully synthetic | | | | are fully oxygen compatible, they are |
| lubricants are absolutely necessary, | | | | safe to use in even the most intense |
| such as the machining of zirconium, | | | | applications, such as situations where |
| tungsten, tantalum or niobium. These | | | | pure oxygen is kept under high pressure |
| exotic metals have become far more | | | | and when other lubricants and sealants |
| widespread since the widespread adoption | | | | would have been oxidized away. Anyone |
| of metalworking fluids. At this time, | | | | who has ever worked with compressed or |
| they cannot be reliably fabricated in | | | | liquid oxygen knows that practicing |
| the same manner without high | | | | oxygen safety is the first and foremost |
| temperature, inert oils. | | | | concern working with such systems. |
| Synthetic oils are also used in high | | | | Having inert lubricants you can rely |
| temperature and high performance | | | | upon is a relief for professionals that |
| automobile applications, though their | | | | didn't enjoy such a degree of safety in |
| major use in transportation is with | | | | the past. |
| aerospace. Bearings and gears are | | | | In addition to its use as a synthetic |
| especially likely to use inert | | | | lubricant, fluorochemical oils and |
| lubricants because of high temperatures | | | | compounds can also be used to repel |
| and oxygen. Many such synthetic | | | | water and soil and is often used on high |
| lubricants have been inspected and | | | | traffic fabrics as a repellent. |
| approved by NASA, among others. | | | | The use of inert oils as synthetic |
| That said, there are some instances | | | | lubricants and metalworking fluids, |
| where the usual benefits of using a | | | | suitable for high or low temperature use |
| synthetic lubricant are negated by an | | | | with some of the most reactive chemicals |
| unfortunate reaction. As is typical for | | | | on Earth make fluorochemical oils a very |
| a fluorochemical compound, when | | | | important part of several important |
| something doesn't work, it is readily or | | | | industries. |