Graphite grease, moly grease, and PTFE grease are all built around a solid lubricant additive suspended in a grease base, but they behave very differently under load, heat, and moisture. Graphite grease handles high loads and gritty environments but conducts electricity. Moly grease is a standard choice for extreme-pressure, heavy-machinery applications. PTFE grease is the safer choice around plastics and food-adjacent equipment. Picking the wrong one can mean premature wear, contamination, or — in graphite’s case — an electrical hazard.
What Is Graphite Grease?
Graphite grease is a grease base loaded with fine graphite particles that act as a dry-film, solid lubricant. It performs well under extreme pressure, high load, and low speed, and holds up in dirty or gritty environments where a liquid lubricant would wash out or get contaminated. The one property to watch: graphite is electrically conductive, so it should not be used near electrical contacts, switchgear, or components that are sensitive to conductive contamination.
What Is Moly Grease?
Moly grease is built on molybdenum disulfide, an additive that forms a low-friction film bonding to metal surfaces under extreme pressure and heat. It is a common choice for heavy-duty automotive, agricultural, construction, and industrial machinery — especially chassis points, universal joints, and heavily loaded bearings that see repeated shock loading.
What Is PTFE Grease?
PTFE (Teflon) grease suspends PTFE particles in a grease base. It is chemically inert, safe on plastics, rubber, and most elastomers, does not conduct electricity, and offers strong chemical and water resistance. It is commonly used where compatibility with plastic components or overall cleanliness matters more than raw extreme-pressure performance.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Property | Graphite Grease | Moly Grease | PTFE Grease |
| Load capacity | Very high | Very high | Moderate to high |
| Electrical conductivity | Conductive — avoid near electrical parts | Non-conductive | Non-conductive |
| Plastic/rubber compatibility | Limited | Limited | Excellent |
| Moisture/water resistance | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Best suited for | Heavy, slow-moving, gritty/dirty environments | Extreme-pressure heavy machinery | Plastics-safe, chemical-resistant, cleaner environments |
| Typical applications | Open gears, foundry/welding equipment, wire ropes | Chassis points, U-joints, off-road & agricultural machinery | Bearings near plastic housings, food-adjacent equipment, valves |
Which One Should You Use?
- Choose graphite grease if your equipment runs under heavy load at low speed, operates in a dusty, gritty, or high-particulate environment, and has no nearby electrical components
- Choose moly grease if you need extreme-pressure protection for heavy machinery — chassis points, universal joints, off-road and agricultural equipment — and want a lubricant proven under decades of heavy-duty automotive and industrial use
- Choose PTFE grease if your application involves plastic or rubber components, requires electrical non-conductivity, or needs strong chemical and water resistance in a cleaner operating environment
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using graphite grease near electrical contacts, connectors, or switchgear — its conductivity can cause shorts or arcing
- Over-applying moly grease, which can attract dirt and abrasive particles that accelerate wear instead of preventing it
- Assuming all three are interchangeable — mixing incompatible greases at a lubrication point can break down the thickener structure and cause the grease to separate or leak
Frequently Asked Questions
Can graphite grease conduct electricity?
Yes. Graphite is electrically conductive, so graphite grease should be kept away from electrical contacts, terminals, and switchgear where conductive contamination could cause a short.
Is moly grease compatible with PTFE grease?
They should not be mixed at the same lubrication point. Different thickener and additive systems can be incompatible, causing the grease to soften, separate, or lose its lubricating properties. If switching from one to the other, clean out the old grease first.
Which grease lasts longest under heavy load?
Moly and graphite grease are both formulated for heavy-load, extreme-pressure conditions and generally outperform PTFE grease under sustained heavy loads. PTFE grease is chosen instead for compatibility and cleanliness rather than maximum load capacity.
Is graphite grease or moly grease better for high temperatures?
Both tolerate high temperatures well. The right choice depends more on load, speed, and environment — graphite for slow, heavy, gritty conditions, moly for extreme-pressure heavy machinery — than on temperature alone.
Why Choose M R Silicone
M R Silicone has manufactured industrial lubricants since 1995, with a full range of graphite, moly, and PTFE greases and the technical guidance to help you match the right product to your equipment. Get in touch for a technical data sheet or a recommendation for your specific application.