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Test Results

Compatibility Testing

 In order for a bulk lubricant to perform effectively, it must be highly compatible with rubber, paint, and plastic. If the product is not compatible, it can have an overall negative effect on the reliability of the treated equipment, particularly the electrical system.

The most sensitive class of rubber, paints, and plastics is elastomers. Elastomers are flexible, which means that they are more subject to compatibility issues than rigid plastics or paint. Natural rubber, or Latex, is one type of elastomer.

Elastomers either expand or contract when they are exposed to solvents. Any type of dimensional change indicates compatibility problems. An ideal bulk lubricant would cause zero dimensional change in an elastomer, even after decades of exposure.

 The bulk lubricant compatibility test was conducted using the following procedure:

 

1.       One inch diameter test coupons were punched out of 12” x 12” sheets of the following materials:

a.       ½” natural rubber

b.       ½” Buna-N

c.       ½” expanded cell silicone

d.       ½” Neoprene

e.       ½” SBR

f.         ½” Butyl

g.       ¼” Hypalon

h.       ½” EPDM

2.       The thickness of the coupon was measured with a micrometer.

3.       The coupon was exposed to one of the following products:

a.       TC-11™

b.       WD-40®

c.       CRC® Heavy Duty Silicone

d.       LPS® Heavy Duty Silicone

e.       CRC®3-36

f.         PB Blaster®

g.       Corrosion-X®

h.       Boeshield T-9®

i.         Discontinued Product

j.         LPS®-2

k.       Corrosion Block®

l.         Tri-Flow®

m.     Prolong®

n.       LPS®-3

o.       CRC® 2-26

4.       The coupon was placed on an indoor counter with all of the other coupons.

5.       The thickness of the coupon was measured and recorded on a daily basis for two weeks.

6.       The thickness of an untreated coupon of each type of elastomer was measured and recorded on a daily basis for two weeks.

7.       The measurements were converted to absolute numbers.

8.       The measurements were used to determine the difference in thickness between a treated coupon and an untreated coupon exposed to exactly the same environmental conditions.

9.       The differences in thickness were summarized.

10.   The products were graded according to the total amount of dimensional change over the two-week test period.

 

              

                                                     Compatibility Test Setup