Four Coating Methods of Tungsten Disulfide

Tungsten disulfide (WS2) is a silver-gray lubricant powder, with an extreme low friction (COF: 0.03) and excellent thermal stability and pressure resistance. When coated on a substrate, it forms a 0.5 micron thick layer of WS2 coating, which reduces the friction and increases thermal stability and pressure resistance of it. Here are   four coating methods to apply WS2 powder:

1) An Additive to Wet Lubricants

The powder can be added to wet lubricants including oil, grease & other synthetic lubricants (with the ratio of 1% to 15%). The addition enhances the lubricity of lubricants and increases the thermal stability and pressure resistance to it. This generally applies to mating parts such as engine oils and gear oils. The WS2 in the oil will gradually be coated on the surface of mating parts.

2) Spray Blasting

To coat WS2 powder well on the part. Firstly it is necessary to clean and degrease the part. Secondly sand blast the part with 5 micron aluminum oxide powder. Thirdly sand blast WS2 powder on the part at 120 psi. This spraying can be done in normal room temperature.

3) Vibratory Bowl Coating

This method is suitable for small parts such as bullets. To apply WS2 on the parts, firstly clean the part and degrease it. Secondly Put the parts in a bottle and fill the bottle with WS2 powder. The bottle must be filled at least 75% of space. Thirdly Put the bottle in vibratory bowl. Then vibrate for 4 to 5 hours. Lastly take out the parts and clean them.

4) Buffing the Substrate with WS2/Alcohol Paste

WS2 powder can be mixed with Isopropyl alcohol and this paste could be buffed to the substrate. To apply this method, Firstly clean and degrease the substrate. Then Apply the mixture paste of WS2 and alcohol on the substrate and also on cotton buffing wheel. Secondly start buffing substrate with buffing wheel when paste is dry. At last go on buffing till silver gray coating is seen.

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