has introduced a surface treatment called SBBT that provides
the low start-up and running friction of its existing SSHT non-stick
treatment for O-rings, with the added benefits of extending wear life,
retarding the ageing process of rubber and improving the corrosion
resistance of metals. SBBT bonds an ultra-thin PTFE coating to base
rubber or plastic, but it can also be applied in principle to metal or
wood. The coating is between 5 and 15 microns thick and this reduces the
static coefficient of friction to between 0.05 and 0.07.