TorrLube® is the specifically formulated lubricant for reducing friction to substantially increase the life of moving components in high vacuum applications. When applied sparingly to O-Rings and feedthroughs, TorrLube’s excellent lubricating qualities dramatically extend the integrity of vacuum to atmosphere seals, thereby improving vacuum system performance over a long period.
Under high loading pressures, such as those in robots, bearings, and shafts, TorrLube’s viscosity remains more stable than other lubricants, affecting superior performance over a wide range of pressures and temperatures.
TorrLube shows remarkable chemical inertness, which is beneficial because lubricants for vacuum systems can be exposed to a variety of chemicals. TorrLube® does not interact to contaminate semiconductor devices being processed in the system with free radicals such as NA++.
Fluoroelastomer and Perfluoroelastomer O-rings and Quad-rings used in the Semiconductor Industry and other high-vacuum environments are often conditioned prior to installation. Traditional conditioning is done by oven baking the O-ring in order to remove water and other volatile material that would outgas while under thermal, mechanical, and chemical stress encountered in high-vacuum applications. The “baked-out” impurities in the O-rings surface leave micronic cracks and surface irregularities which will put the vacuum seal at risk.
TorrLube® is an excellent conditioner for O-rings and other elastomer seals that have a Fluorocarbon or Perfluorocarbon base. Conditioning an elastomer seal consists of rubbing a small amount of TorrLube® onto the O-ring, leaving a shiny, not wet, surface, then wiping the O-ring with a lint-free cloth to remove excess oil and any particles it has entrained. TorrLube®, applied in this way, will seal micron sized cracks in the O–rings surface and create a suppler O-ring which will properly unwind in its groove and create a better seal.
Elastomer seals not conditioned with TorrLube® have a tendency to swell and degrade when in contact with aggressive acids, bases, and solvents. Premature seal failure can cause catastrophic failure.
TorrLube® is an excellent heat transfer medium, improving contact between solid surfaces compatible in semiconductor plasma etch environment.
