WD-40

Aerosol can WD-40

WD-40 is a penetrating oil made by the US company WD-40 Company , which is mainly used as a contact spray , corrosion protection , weak lubricant and cleaner.

One of the first applications was the corrosion protection of the Atlas launcher by Convair . The first commercial distribution in retail trade took place in 1958 in San Diego . The product consists mainly of petroleum ether (raw petrol) and mineral oil .

product

The product was developed in 1953 by engineer, inventor and entrepreneur Iver Norman Lawson (1892–1967) as a means for water displacement and corrosion protection. The designation WD-40 stands for "Water Displacement, 40th formula" (German "Wasserverdrängung, 40th recipe"). A friend in the US Navy had asked Lawson about an anti-corrosive agent. Lawson developed the product in his private laboratory in San Diego and sold it for $ 500 to the Rocket Chemical Company (whose boss, Norman B. Larsen, was sometimes incorrectly referred to as the inventor). The product was initially marketed in the missile industry. After management saw that employees were secretly taking the product home, retail marketing began in 1958. In the 1960s, it became better known for its use as a weapon cleaner in the Vietnam War .

The WD-40 Company offers a variety of cleaning agents and lubricants.

composition

The composition differs according to the respective safety data sheets.

Germany:

60–80% hydrocarbons C ₉ - C ₁₁ (n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, cycloalkanes ), <2% aromatics
1–5% carbon dioxide (propellant, not contained in the bulk container)

UNITED STATES:

45–50% Aliphatic Hydrocarbon CAS Number : 64742-47-8 (Aliphatic Hydrocarbons)
<25% Petroleum Base Oil CAS number: 64742-56-9, 64742-65-0, 64742-53-6, 64742-54-7, 64742-71-8 (differently treated petroleum)
12–18% LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon CAS number: 64742-47-8 (mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons C ₉ -C ₁₆ )
2–3% carbon dioxide ( carbon dioxide )
<10% Non-Hazardous Ingredients Mixture (mixture of harmless substances)

commitment

The main areas of application are cleaning, water displacement and corrosion protection for metals and electrical devices, in service, workshop and household. It is also often used in workshops to loosen rusted screw connections; however, it sometimes has to take effect for a few hours to creep under the rust. The lubricating effect of WD-40, on the other hand, is relatively low, but sufficient for creaking hinges or hooking locks. In addition to Ballistol , WD-40 is also frequently used for cleaning weapons . It is not suitable for the lubrication of threaded spindles or bicycle chains due to its insufficient lubricating effect.

The loosening of rusted connections by soaking them in petroleum has a long tradition of mechanics. WD-40 supplies the kerosene in a cleaned, perfumed form and with the addition of Vaseline to increase the lubricating and protective effect in a spray bottle. Caramba is a well-known competitor product in German-speaking countries .

The use of WD-40 and other " rust removers " can reduce the friction between the components to such an extent that separation is possible with non-destructive use of force. Otherwise, only alternate heating and cooling of the parts can help.