Ceramic, non-toxic, incredibly effective assembly paste
What is Interflon Paste HT1200?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. How Interflon Paste HT1200 works
2. Why is Interflon Paste HT1200 ceramic?
3. Use Cases
Use case 1: Metals in salt water
Use case 2: Spiral dough kneading machine
Use case 3: Damaged bolt rethreader
Use case 4: Lubricating oven racks
Use case 5: Automotive exhaust assembly paste
4. What is galvanic corrosion?
5. What is fretting of metal?
6. What is galling of metal?
Interflon Paste HT1200 with MicPol® is a food-safe (NSF H1, kosher, halal), ceramic-based anti-seizing assembly paste and rethreading compound for use in a wide range of conditions.
- Makes disassembly easy instead of painful
- Protects against oxidation and galvanic corrosion
- Prevents galling
- Prevents fretting
- Is safe for use in food production environments
- Highly resistant to moisture, (salt)water, acid, and high pressure
- Withstands very high temperatures (up to 1200° C or 2100°+ F)
- Also functions as a rethreading compound
- Comes in aerosol or paste form
How Interflon Paste HT1200 Works
Interflon Paste HT1200 with MicPol® is a soft, non-toxic ceramic paste. The ceramic particles have been micronized to less than .03 - .05 microns in diameter, and have been polarized so that they carry a negative charge.
This results in two benefits:
- Micronization means the particles are able to fill every tiny crack, pit, crevice, and opening on a surface for total coverage. It immediately forms a very smooth layer with a friction coefficient of 0.12.
- Polarization means that the negatively-polarized lubricant particles in the paste adhere to positively-charged particles on a surface. This bond is much stronger than that offered by normal lubricants.
Interflon Paste HT1200 is recommended for use in cases where oxidation or galvanic corrosion is possible, extreme high temperatures are present, or disassembly may be required.
Interflon Paste HT1200 is available in paste or aerosol form. The paste may be applied with a brush, stick, or your fingers. The aerosol may be applied directly from the can. It dries to a solid opaque white.
Why Is Interflon Paste HT1200 Ceramic?
There are five principle reasons Interflon Paste HT1200 uses ceramic particles rather than metallic ones.
- Ceramic material has a higher melting point than copper. Copper melts at 1,085° C or 1,985° F. HT1200 melts at 1200° C/2192° F. This is enough of a difference that it gives HT1200 a strong edge over copper paste.
- Ceramic material is much harder than copper, so it can withstand extremely high pressure. This is the type of pressure that normally leads to metal-to-metal contact, which is the cause of damaged threads, galling, and fretting.
- Interflon Paste HT1200 works as an insulator, rather than as a conductor. That's why it's so effective at preventing galvanic corrosion and oxidation.
- Metal-based products can influence sensitive measuring equipment, such as compasses. Since ceramics don’t have this effect, Interflon Paste HT1200 will not affect measuring equipment in any way.
- Ceramic particles are non-toxic to humans if incidentally ingested in amounts smaller than 10 parts per million (ppm). Ceramics are what allows Interflon Paste HT1200 to carry its food-safe rating, which greatly increases the number of applications it can be used for.
Use Cases for Interflon Paste HT1200
Case 1: Metals in salt water
A client on the North Atlantic coast is a manufacturer of live fish pumps. These pumps are large, in some cases nearly six feet tall, and with a diameter of 4-5 feet. They are generally used on docks or aboard fishing vessels that transport live fish in the off-season. They are constantly in contact with salt water, inside and out. They are also often transported by truck, which causes vibrations and micro-oscillations.
These pumps are made from stainless steel and aluminum. In those places where these two alloys come into contact, galvanic corrosion will occur, aided by the presence of salt water as an electrolyte. This process is highly destructive and ultimately results in the need for repairs or replacement.
This client turned to Interflon for help with their corrosion issues. We recommended Interflon Paste HT1200 because it will protect the surfaces it covers from water, and it will prevent the two alloys from coming into contact with each other, so no galvanic corrosion can take place.
It will also make it much easier to disassemble the pumps whenever that needs to happen, for example when they are being maintained or transported. Finally, Interflon Paste HT1200 will also prevent the fretting and galling that will occur when metal surfaces rub against each other due to vibrations or micro-oscillations.
Our Technical Advisors recently visited this client to check up on how Paste HT1200 was working out for them. They were delighted to report that galvanic corrosion was no longer a problem, and disassembly of pumps was now made vastly easier. They are very happy with their decision to go with Interflon Paste HT1200 and have no intention of ever using anything else.
Case 2: Spiral Dough Kneading Machine in Commercial Bakery
Interflon Paste HT1200 is rated H1 by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), which means it is safe to use anywhere it may come into incidental contact with foodstuffs. Because of this, it has wide applications in the food production industry, especially in cases where high temperatures may occur, as in commercial bakeries. Because Paste HT1200 is good up to 1200° C, it will continue to perform its job well even in a very hot environment, such as an oven.
One of our clients had a spiral-hook dough kneading machine that was causing them some grief. They were lubricating it with copper paste, which is not food-safe and therefore should never be used when incidental food contact may occur. For both hygienic and aesthetic reasons, this client wanted to stop using the copper paste, but had no idea what to do instead.
Another challenge posed by the copper paste was the fact that it destroyed gaskets and seals. These then had to be replaced often, but replacement frequently didn’t occur until a leak was noticed. This meant there was frequent possible contamination of the dough.
Our Technical Advisor recommended the use of Interflon Paste HT1200. It is able to be used anywhere in a food production environment, thanks to its H1 rating. It will never have an adverse effect on any kind of gasket or seal. It dries to a solid and therefore will not leak or run out.
The client made the switch to HT1200 and has been very happy with their decision to do so. Disassembly of the machine is easy; runout is no longer a factor; gaskets and seals are all in excellent condition; and lubrication needs to take place much less frequently.
Click here to see this situation described in our case studies.
Case 3: Damaged bolts
Interflon Paste HT1200 is also a re-threading compound. It can be used to remove nuts from bolts that have apparently been damaged beyond repair, and which cannot be helped by the application of other well-known ordinary lubricants.
To test this, our Technical Advisors have conducted the following demonstration: They will screw a nut onto an undamaged bolt, then attack the bolt with a hammer. The threads may be destroyed and the bolt itself may be bent. Afterwards, they apply Interflon Paste HT1200 to the bolt and begin unscrewing the nut. The nut will come off the bolt smoothly and efficiently, even though the bolt is thoroughly ruined.
This demonstration is frequently performed by our TAs when they want to introduce a client to the product. Their reaction is always one of amazement, since there is no other product on the market that can perform this way.
See it for yourself in this video!
Case 4: Oven rack lubricant
With its ability to resist temperatures up to 1200° Celsius (that's about 2100° F), plus its NSF H1 rating as a food-safe lubricant, Interflon Paste HT1200 is the ideal oven rack lubricant for use in the home or business. H1 means it's safe for incidental consumption, so you won't be putting your family's health at risk if you use it on your racks at home. HT1200 is also certified kosher and halal. Paste HT1200 is available on Amazon in aerosol or paste format.
"After cleaning my Thermador oven, the ball-bearing telescoping oven racks were more or less frozen in place and very hard to use. Previously, I tried various organic products such as corn and canola oil on the bearings, none of which worked. What I needed was a high-temperature lubricant rated food service safe.
"In stepped Interflon HT1200 paste. After a couple of shots of the HT1200 lubricant my oven racks work better than when new! A great product!"
--Amazon customer Dr. A.L., in a 5-star review
Case 5: Exhaust systems
Interflon Paste HT1200 is ideal for use on automotive and other exhaust systems. With its ability to withstand high temperatures, plus the fact that it makes assembly and disassembly a snap, it's a logical choice. Interflon Paste HT1200 contains no metal, and is therefore a safer choice for both people and the environment. Choose between our aerosol, paste, or squeezable tube formats.
What is galvanic corrosion?
Galvanic corrosion occurs when two different metals are in electrical contact with each other in the presence of an electrolyte (like salt water).
Sometimes, galvanic corrosion is a good thing. It can be used to generate a charge that powers portable devices. The process of electrolysis, which can be used in plating or cleaning metals, is also a form of galvanic corrosion.
Other times, however, it is not desirable, as it can result in the destruction of one of the two metals in question, and cause many other problems besides.
Two famous examples of galvanic corrosion:
The HMS Alarm
In the 1600s, galvanic corrosion had been observed but was not yet understood. The sailing ships of the British navy were typically plated with copper in order to protect the wood underneath from worms, barnacles, and seaweed. This worked well, but in those places where the copper came into contact with the iron nails holding the ship together, it was discovered that some of the nails had dissolved into a kind of rusty paste.
This situation was first noticed when the HMS Alarm was brought into drydock for repairs.
The HMS Alarm.
Some nails had not dissolved, because they were protected by a layer of brown paper. Upon closer investigation, it was learned that the copper plates were often delivered to the shipyard wrapped in this brown paper. The workmen who installed the plates did not always remove the paper, but instead simply attached them while still wrapped. In the case of those plates with paper still attached to the underside, the iron nails were still in good shape, because the paper prevented the copper from touching the iron. But on those plates where there was no paper, the iron nails underneath had completely deteriorated.
Thus it was learned that placing an insulating barrier between two metals will prevent the process of galvanic corrosion from taking place.
The Statue of Liberty
When the Statue of Liberty was renovated in the 1980s, it was discovered that galvanic corrosion had taken place between the copper skin of the statue and the wrought-iron framework underneath. Gustave Eiffel, the designer of the statue (and builder of the Eiffel Tower), had anticipated this problem, and had coated the iron with shellac in an attempt to prevent it for as long as possible.
However, the shellac was not up to the task. Sometime during the previous century, it had deteriorated. As a result, the iron stays were badly corroded and likely would have begun to collapse soon.
The remedy for his was to disassemble the entire statue and replace the original shellac with a new protective layer. What was that layer? It was made from petro tetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, the same substance present in most Interflon products.
The Statue of Liberty
What is fretting of metal?
Fretting simply refers to the wear that takes place on dry metal after repeated use that includes rapid motion or vibration. It can result in material transfer or degradation, that is, the metal will simply rub off and create lots of metallic particles. These particles will then rust and form an abrasive medium that only adds to the damage. The surface underneath the metal will also be exposed, and is therefore also subject to further rust and wear.
Fretting is said to occur in dry conditions, i.e. when no lubricant is present. It is distinct from brinelling, which is the permanent indentation of a hard surface, and false brinelling, which can look like brinelling but happens in the presence of lubricant as a result of micro-oscillations.
Brinelling and false brinelling derive their name from the Brinell scale of hardness.
What is galling of metal?
Galling is a type of wear caused between two sliding surfaces when there is not enough lubrication present. It is a result of friction, or the rubbing together of these two surfaces, as well as adhesion, or the tendency of the surfaces to want to stick together. It can occur between two different substances, or even two surfaces made of the same substance.
Galling results in the removal of some material from one or both of the surfaces involved. This material may then form balls, clumps, or dust that accelerates wear. It may even become friction-welded back to the surface, forming a very rough layer that furthers the overall problem.
Some metals, like aluminum, are highly prone to galling. Others, like hardened steel, are far less prone to it.
