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