Krytox

Krytox, a registered trademark of The Chemours Company, is a group of colorless synthetic lubricants (oils and greases) with a variety of applications.

[1] Invented by researchers at DuPont, Krytox oils are fluorocarbon ether polymers of polyhexafluoropropylene oxide, with a chemical formula: F−(CF(CF3)−CF2−O)n−CF2CF3, where the degree of polymerization, n, generally lies within the range of 10 to 60.

It is thermally stable, nonflammable (even in liquid oxygen), and insoluble in water, acids, bases, and most organic solvents.

Formulations exist which are able to withstand extreme pressure, resist outgassing in high vacuum, and operate under intense mechanical stress.

[3] Other companies manufacture PFPE lubricants, such as Solvay's Fomblin range,[4] with some formulations having comparable properties.

Krytox fluoroether -based grease pictured alongside a tube of Dow Corning silicone grease (green). Both are often used in laboratories, including in high-vacuum applications, due to their inertness.
Structural formula of PFPE-K (Krytox) [ 6 ]