# An Analysis of the Process of Applying Technical Lubricating Coatings
###### Abstract  
The results of research on the process of applying lubricating coatings are presented in this work. For this purpose, plastic greases were used, in which the base oil is perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and the thickener is poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). Due to their consistency, these materials are classified into different classes according to the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI). The research was carried out using a time-pressure valve at varying atomization pressure values. Based on the obtained results, the width of the obtained material path and the angle of spray atomization were determined. The research indicated linear relationships between the atomization pressure and the degree of uniformity of the obtained spray. g pacs: 05.40.  
strength and the transfer of polymeric material to the counter surface, allowing for the sliding of two soft polymeric surfaces [6]. PTFE is known for its excellent sliding properties, but it has poor wear resistance and undergoes excessive viscoelastic deformation under load, which limits its use in high load-bearing applications [7]. To address these issues, various reinforcing fillers have been incorporated into PTFE, including inorganic materials such as metals and metal oxides/carbides, and organic materials such as carbon fiber, graphite, and polymer blends [1,8,9]. While these fillers can improve wear resistance and increase load capacity, there are often issues with corrosion when metal fillers are used and relatively low pressure-velocity limit values in purely polymeric composite systems. Thermal spray methods are used in various industrial sectors, including renewable/non-renewable energy divisions and the biomedical, automotive, and aerospace industries, due to their ability to form dense, wear-resistant coatings with strong mechanical adhesion to substrates [10]. Modern PFPE oils are liquids with a unique structure and properties [11]. Only three elements make up these substances: carbon, oxygen, and fluorine atoms. Strong bonds join the atoms, and the whole polymer chain is very elastic. The C-F bond is the strongest interatomic bond known in nature, and, simultaneously, fluorine is the most electronegative element, so the molecule is exceptionally durable. The lack of hydrogen, the common element of all standard liquid lubricants, contributes to the thermo-oxidizing stability of PFPE oils [12]. The substances have some unique properties [12,13]. PFPE are low-surface-tension liquids that are commonly employed, e.g., in magnetic recording devices as disk lubricants [14]. PFPE exhibits characteristics that outperform mineral oils, as well as common synthetic oils such as PAOs (polyalphaolefins) and esters. A modern approach to the formulation of PFPE lubricants enables obtaining new products with better properties than traditional ones. At the same time, it is possible to obtain new applications. Currently, it is observed that PFPE dual-purpose greases are increasingly replacing the commonly used PTFE/PFPE greases in applications where the operating temperature is \(\leq\)220 \({}^{\circ}\)C, or short-term \(\leq\)+250 \({}^{\circ}\)C [15]. PTFE and PFPE can be combined to form a grease that exhibits their strengths, outperforming mineral-oil based greases [16]. Grease applications for PTFE/PFPE include the lubrication of conveyor bearings that pass through ovens, such as in baking, wafer-making, and the painting of metals [17,18]. From the point of view of protecting components and machine parts, it is important to obtain a uniform lubricant surface on the component and to completely cover it. For this reason, the method of its application/spraying is important. To determine the usefulness of plastic lubricants in industrial processes, one must use the classification of plastic lubricants created by the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI). The criterion for this classification is the consistency, specifically the range of grease penetration after compression. Table 1 shows this classification [19].