The science of Molybdenum Disulfide is well established in the industrial community. Scientific and industrial literature describes Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) as a naturally occurring relatively inert, chemically stable, practically non-corrosive, non-toxic mineral commercially mined in Colorado, Idaho and South America. It is extracted from the ground, separated from other materials, cleaned, crushed purified and separated into particles of different size through screens of progressively finer mesh.* Molybdenum Disulfide has a particular affinity to adhere to metals with a peculiar mechanical-thermal chemical bonding that is not clearly understood to the scientific community (neither is aspirin or anesthesia understood). Even though we may not completely understand MoS2 on the subatomic level, industry and science does understand and can describe its physical properties and how it behaves as a dry lubricant on the microscopic level.

*Super Fine grade Moly is 99.7% (guaranteed 98%) pure. Particle size is from less than 0.05 to 8 microns (median 1.5).Technical Grade particle size:1 to 100 microns (median 30.0). (l micron = l millionth of l meter). Super Fine is expensive. One industrial supplier quotes about $3500 per 200lb drum. One scientific supply house quotes $40 for 4oz.

The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) at 150Xmagnification shows that even a highly polished metallic surface is truly rough and irregular on the microscopic level. Under the SEM the surface of a bearing appears like the Himalayan Mountains as seen from aircraft at 40,000 ft. Deep steep sided valleys separate the rough crags and peaks. In scientific language, this roughness with jagged high peaks and deep irregular valleys are termed ‘aspserities’.

Now mentally visualize what happens to a bearing, under conditions of  extreme pressure and heat passing over this rough surface. The metal is going to be abraded away, leaving behind sheared off metal particles that are packed down the valleys of the asperities. When metal deposits get down into these asperities. Unfortunately, it is the nature of metal, copper, and  lead to keep building up on itself creating more groves .
 
 

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