Graphite
Improves track performance & reduces track cleaning
Improves track performance & reduces track cleaning
What is graphite?
Natural Graphite is a grey crystalline form of carbon that is an excellent conductor of electricity, does not corrode and at its atomic level forms the basis of Graphene.
What’s it used for? Graphite is used for many applications from the nuclear industry (Synthetic graphite, used as a matrix and neutron moderator within nuclear reactors), in batteries as electrodes, in steelmaking, brake linings and lubricants to its most commonly known use as the lead in a pencil, however, pencil lead is a mix of powdered graphite and clay and is not ‘pure’ graphite.
How does it work?
In our case its going to improve the electrical performance of our tracks and reduce the frequency of track cleaning.
Graphite, when applied in a very thin layer, does wonders for conductivity. Graphite also reduces arcing (which is why it's used as electric motor brushes), by reducing the arcing it reduces the formation of nickel-silver oxide, which is most of what's in the "black gunk" that builds up on your track [It’s rare to see arcing between wheel and track but at microscopic level it will arc between the peaks of both wheel & track].
What are its benefits?
Our armchair research revealed overall claims of improved track performance, reduced cleaning of track & wheels and improved loco performance (where poor performance was observed previous to treating the track with graphite). In practice we found the claims of improved track performance and improved locomotive performance were valid and the reduced cleaning can only be verified by time. We'll keep you posted.
Natural Graphite is a grey crystalline form of carbon that is an excellent conductor of electricity, does not corrode and at its atomic level forms the basis of Graphene.
What’s it used for? Graphite is used for many applications from the nuclear industry (Synthetic graphite, used as a matrix and neutron moderator within nuclear reactors), in batteries as electrodes, in steelmaking, brake linings and lubricants to its most commonly known use as the lead in a pencil, however, pencil lead is a mix of powdered graphite and clay and is not ‘pure’ graphite.
How does it work?
In our case its going to improve the electrical performance of our tracks and reduce the frequency of track cleaning.
Graphite, when applied in a very thin layer, does wonders for conductivity. Graphite also reduces arcing (which is why it's used as electric motor brushes), by reducing the arcing it reduces the formation of nickel-silver oxide, which is most of what's in the "black gunk" that builds up on your track [It’s rare to see arcing between wheel and track but at microscopic level it will arc between the peaks of both wheel & track].
What are its benefits?
Our armchair research revealed overall claims of improved track performance, reduced cleaning of track & wheels and improved loco performance (where poor performance was observed previous to treating the track with graphite). In practice we found the claims of improved track performance and improved locomotive performance were valid and the reduced cleaning can only be verified by time. We'll keep you posted.
Before it’s
ever applied it’s IMPORTANT to realise that in this instance less really is more. Ideally we want
it only a molecule thick in reality we want the coating as thin as we can get
it, otherwise too much graphite may lead to poor traction issues.
This link will show you how it’s done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o59W7iwre24&feature=youtu.be
This video is purely a demonstration of the technique and you’ll usually only need one or two passes of the graphite stick, not the 7 or 8 passes shown. See Trevor’s comments when you scroll down the page.
P&P Note:
Our P&P charge is usually £3.95, however it's normally a much larger package we send out so for an order of only Graphite Sticks (up to a maximum of six) the P&P is reduced to £1.35. For lager quantities please ask for a quote.
This link will show you how it’s done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o59W7iwre24&feature=youtu.be
This video is purely a demonstration of the technique and you’ll usually only need one or two passes of the graphite stick, not the 7 or 8 passes shown. See Trevor’s comments when you scroll down the page.
P&P Note:
Our P&P charge is usually £3.95, however it's normally a much larger package we send out so for an order of only Graphite Sticks (up to a maximum of six) the P&P is reduced to £1.35. For lager quantities please ask for a quote.