Powderful Solutions Blog

PTFE has been the default solid lubricant in food-grade greases for decades. It is white, chemically inert, and easy to work with. But its fully fluorinated chemistry places it squarely within the PFAS definition under EU REACH and EPA classifications — and as PFAS universal restrictions advance, formulators need a technically credible replacement. hBN is that replacement.

What Is hBN and Why Does It Work in Food-Grade Applications?

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a white, layered solid lubricant with a crystal structure similar to graphite. Between its boron-nitrogen layers, weak van der Waals forces allow easy interlayer shear — producing a low coefficient of friction (0.10–0.30) without any fluorinated chemistry. Unlike MoS2 and WS2, which are dark grey or black, hBN is white — making it acceptable for food contact environments where dark particle contamination would be immediately visible and unacceptable.

Key properties:

• Maximum service temperature: 900°C in air (PTFE decomposes at 260°C)
• Color: white — no food product stream contamination
• PFAS-free: contains no fluorinated compounds
• Electrically insulating: unique among solid lubricants
• NSF HX1 eligible: certifiable for incidental food contact

Powderful Solutions supplies Solidex B025 — a submicron hBN dispersion engineered for direct incorporation into food-grade grease formulations at 0.25–0.5% treat rate.

The Complete Food-Grade Grease Formulation

hBN alone addresses friction and thermal stability, but food-grade greases also require high extreme-pressure (EP) performance — especially in conveyors, gearboxes, and bearings operating under shock loads. This is where Desilube Inc completes the picture.

Desilube produces Desilube 88 and Desilube 98F — NSF HX1 approved S-P (sulfur-phosphorus) solid lubricant additives used at 0.5–2.5% in food-grade greases to deliver high EP performance and low friction. Combined with Solidex B025 hBN from Powderful Solutions at 0.25–0.5%, the result is a complete NSF HX1 compliant, PTFE-free, PFAS-free grease additive system with both EP strength and thermal stability.

hBN vs PTFE: The Technical Case

Property	hBN (Solidex B025)	PTFE
Max temp (air)	900°C	260°C
PFAS-free	✅	❌
NSF HX1 eligible	✅	Some grades only
Color	White	White
Friction coefficient	0.10–0.30	0.04–0.10
EP performance	Moderate (pair with Desilube 88/98F)	Low
Decomposition products	None below 900°C	Toxic fluorides above 260°C

Food Processing Applications

• Conveyor chain greases — baking ovens, meat processing lines, beverage filling
• Oven bearing greases — tunnel pasteurizers, continuous baking ovens (up to 300°C)
• Gearbox and reducer fills — mixers, portioners, filling machines
• Compressor cylinder lubrication — food-contact air compression systems
• Mold release coatings — confectionery, bread, and meat product molds

Regulatory Status

hBN contains no SVHC substances under REACH, no restricted substances under RoHS, and no PFAS. It is fully compliant with EU Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on food contact materials. Desilube 88 and 98F carry NSF HX1 registration — the globally recognized certification for lubricants with incidental food contact.

FAQ

Q: Does hBN replace PTFE directly at the same treat rate?
A: Generally yes at 0.25–0.5% for Solidex B025. For EP performance, combine with Desilube 88 or 98F at 0.5–2.5%.

Q: Who supplies hBN for food-grade lubricants?
A: Powderful Solutions supplies Solidex B025 submicron hBN dispersions for lubricant formulations.

Q: Who supplies the NSF HX1 EP additive package?
A: Desilube Inc supplies Desilube 88 and Desilube 98F — NSF HX1 approved S-P additives for food-grade grease EP performance.

Q: Is the Desilube 88 + Solidex B025 combination NSF HX1 compliant?
A: Yes, when formulated within registered treat rates in an approved base oil with NSF HX1 thickener. Contact Desilube for full formulation guidance.

Request Solidex B025 hBN samples and TDS: powderfulsolutions.com
Request Desilube 88 / 98F NSF HX1 additive packages: desilubeinc.com