When it comes to lubricating waterproof devices and machine parts, silicone grease is desired. If the lubrication involves incidental contact with food and/or water, food grade silicone grease is required.
Silicone grease is inorganic grease with silicone oil as base oil. This translucent white viscous paste has a very thick body and does not dissolve in water. Therefore it is widely used to improve water resistance and is sometimes called sealing grease.
Silicone grease can be found in devices and equipment that are required to be waterproof or water tight, including remote controls, plumbing, shower heads, garden hose threads, waterproof watches, underwater camera, as well as water submersible flashlights. By applying minimum amount of silicone grease required to lubricate threads and o-rings can effectively protect these devices and equipment from wearing out.
An outstanding advantage of silicone grease is that it is highly compatible with rubber and plastic. Wherever a water tight seal is required on plastic, rubber or metal components, silicone grease is more desirable. It has a relatively wide range of operating temperature, approximately −40 to 200 °C (−40 to 392 °F), which makes it a popular grease in both industrial and household applications.
In some applications, lubricating greases are required to have no components that would cause ingestion hazards. In specific, only food grade grease is acceptable as a lubricant with incidental food contact (H1) for use in and around food processing areas. For a formula of silicone grease to be qualified as food grade, it has to be certified and registered at NSF. One can search the Nonfood Compounds Listing Directory on NSF’s website, www.nsf.com, to check if a specific silicone grease model is approved as food grade.
Food grade silicone grease may be used on food processing equipment as a protective anti-rust film, as a release agent on gaskets or seals of tank closures, and also as a lubricant for machine parts and equipment in locations in which there is a potential exposure of the lubricated part to food. Common applications include lubricating and sealing in facets, taps, dental equipment, o-rings and seals in water filters and hydration packs.
Shin Dorn offers re-packaging services of food grade silicone greases provided by brand name lubricant suppliers, including Brugarolas, Dow Corning, Techol and more. Unit dose packs, 1 gram, 3 gram, 5 gram for example, in plastic packets or in aluminum collapsible tubes are available. For more information, please contact Shin Dorn: E-mail now!.