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MOLYKOTE® Lubricants for Water Safe Use

MOLYKOTE® for Water Treatment

Lubricants are often overlooked when it comes to water treatment, but they are vitally important in the process and help ensure high-quality, uncontaminated water while protecting key equipment components. Learn how the MOLYKOTE® portfolio helps maintain high performance across the entire process.

What are MOLYKOTE Lubricants?


MOLYKOTE® lubricants have nearly a century of proven industry-leading performance with their high-quality compounds, greases, oils, and more. In particular, MOLYKOTE® compounds have been used across a wide range of applications in the water treatment and reverse osmosis industries, delivering exceptional performance with the strict safety requirements for potable water.

These compounds represent a broad range of chemistries and performance benefits that allow for pin-point selection that meets or exceeds several global standards of water-safe lubricants and sealants. 

Applications for MOLYKOTE® in Water Treatment Systems


MOLYKOTE® compounds and lubricants are successfully used across a wide range of applications in the water treatment industry. One of the primary uses for MOLYKOTE® is to serve as a safe-to-use sealant in faucet valves, pumps, water softeners, and valve housings, essentially anywhere with an elastomeric or plastic O-ring.
These compounds provide stay-in-place lubrication and protection of elastomer O-rings and valve packings where water washout or contamination causes alternative solutions to fail. These silicone- and mineral oil–based lubricants provide full sealant performance for low- and high-pressure systems and help enhance efficiency in filtration and movement of water between storage tanks and process steps.

Many flagship MOLYKOTE® compounds provide performance that meets the requirements of NSF safety standards under NSF 51, NSF 61, and FDA standard 21 CFR 175.300, giving peace of mind when choosing the right solution for protection and comprehensive O-ring sealant.

MOLYKOTE® compounds have also seen success in reverse osmosis and desalination water filters where high pressure systems have the potential of forcing O-ring lubricants out of place.  

Benefits of Using MOLYKOTE® Lubricants for Water Treatment


The use of MOLYKOTE® lubrication in water treatment exhibits consistent performance benefits and extended-term value for operation and periods of maintenance and repair.

MOLYKOTE® lubricants deliver long-term operation with exceptional water washout resistance and low volatility; these products simply work and will do so for a long time. They also exhibit exceptional compatibility with common O-ring and sealant technologies, reducing the potential for undesired reactivity and premature degradation. Finally, the MOLYKOTE® solutions introduce exceptional cost-efficiency and minimize downtime from failure or frequent periods of disassembly and relubrication.

MOLYKOTE® Products for Water Treatment


MOLYKOTE® 111 Compound

  • NLGI Grade 3-4
  • Silicone Lubricant Compound
  • Low volatility & low vapor pressure
  • Excellent water resistance & washout stability
  • Suitable for water contact
  • Meets several National and Global Water Safety Standards 
  • NSF 51, NSF 61, FDA 21 CFR 175.300,
  • BS6920 (England water Regulations Advisory Scheme Approval), IPL Certificate of conformity (France)
  • AS/NZS 4020:2018 (Australia), Hygiene Suitability for Drinking Water Contact from HyCert (Germany
  • NLGI Grade 1 
  • Polydimethyl silicone fluid based lubricant 
  • Moisture resistant 
  • Meets National Water safety standards
  • NSF 51, NSF 61, FDA 21 CFR 175.300
  • Anti-stick performance 
  • Semi-flowable compound for complex surface geometries
  • Broad temperature stability (-54°C to 200°C) 
  • Meets several national water safety standards
  • NSF 51, NSF 61, 21 CFR 175.300
  • Excellent dielectric strength & insulating properties
  • Good moisture resistance & water repellency 
  • Protects critical electronic components or equipment enclosures

Application Best Practices for Water Treatment Components


Whether relubricating filter housings in water softeners or installing new O-rings or gaskets, some best practices should be followed for applying MOLYKOTE® lubricants. First, ensure that the water filter, O-ring, or reverse osmosis component is clean, debris-free, and dry. MOLYKOTE® compounds can be applied by hand or via automatic equipment by brushing and wiping. If a high-pressure applicator is being used, separation and compaction may occur. Similarly, certain grease gun designs may seize with silicone compounds, so prior testing is advised.  

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