Castrol Braycote Microcote 096 Anti-Wear Grease
Castrol Microcote® 096, 196, and 296 are no longer available. Castrol Microcote has been rebranded without change to the product as Braycote 296 Anti-Wear grease. Castrol Microcote 096 and 196 are no longer being produced; Braycote 296 is suggested as an alternative. If you have further questions, please contact SPI Supplies for appropriate replacement.
Castrol® Braycote® Microcote 096 Anti-Wear Grease
The three products in this group, Castrol Microcote® 096, 196, and 296 are smooth off-white colored perfluoropolyether greases in NLGI grades 0, 1, and 2 respectively. Each Castrol Microcote product uses a proprietary base fluid thickened with a special polytetrafluoroethyelene (PTFE) gelling agent with an average particle size of, 0.8 µm. These products are specially formulated to provide wear protection in most load and speed conditions under high or extreme vacuum conditions. These products offer excellent lubricity, thermal stability,low volatility, good shear stability, low acute toxicity, and contain no sodium or other alkali metal containing ingredients. These greases are nonflammable and chemically inert.
Temperature range of use:
-50°C/-58°F to +204°C/400°F
Some useful comments about Microcote products in bearing applications:
A brownish residue is an indication of a breakdown of the PFPE base oil which could be caused by one or more of the three of the following reasons:
- Too high of a load
- Exposed to too high of a temperature
Either case results in a boundary lubrication regime in which there is some lubrication in the contact area, but there is also some metal to metal contact. This metal to metal contact ultimately results in increasing amounts of metal wear particles and the breakdown of the PFPE base oil.
Assuming the bearing has not been damaged, it can be cleaned (see below) and re-lubed and the bearing life can be extended.
Off-gassing characteristics:
Castrol Microcoat® 296 has the best off-gassing characteristics of the three product on this page but it is not quite as good as Braycote® Micronic 1613. But in some applications, Microcoat 296 would be expected to give somewhat longer use life.
Always remember that we can not give any guarantees and that all customers must do their own testing to make sure that any particular lubricant product or in this case a re-lubing procedure is appropriate for their application.
Removal of unwanted grease from grease applied surfaces:
The composition of this product is a mixture of small PTFE particles (which won't dissolve in anything) and a perfluorinated polyether liquid. We have found that Castrol Fluoroclean™ X100 or Castrol Fluoroclean HE is an effective solvent for the liquid component of the formulated composition and aids in the removal of the grease from places where it is no longer needed or wanted.