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Solid lubrication is a little known science born out of the harsh and unforgiving demands of Aerospace/Defense requirements. Lubricating solids are composed of a soft metal which prevents almost all metal to metal contact in any mechanical device made of metal moving parts. lubricating solids are at times called "Friction Modifiers". "The use of Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) as a lubricating solid...is used in more applications than any other solid lubricant." (Source: NASA Research Report). "MoS2, useful by itself, also functions as an additive. It brings it own abilities to the lubricant system with which it is joined. Thus, MoS2 is a material that can be used to improve conventional lubricants, and as a lubricant itself." (Source: International Industrial Lubrication Exhibition, Westminster, London, UK)
In a typical internal combustion (IC) engine, and almost all other mechanical devices, 30-50% of the energy produced is lost through internal friction. If this friction could be substantially reduced, less energy would be needed to produce power resulting in improved fuel economy and reduced emissions. Among the many benefits of using solid lubrication (MoS2) are reduced wear, lower maintenance costs, reduced harmful emissions (HC, NOx, CO and CO2), substantial increases in fuel economy and up to double the useful life of the engine and drive train.
Three types of lubricating conditions exist in any mechanical device including IC engines. They are: Hydrodynamic - found above approximately 1,500 RPM where little metal to metal contact takes place. Boundary - found below approximately 1,500 RPM where a great deal, if not constant, metal to metal contact takes place and Elastohydrodynamic (mixed conditions) - which are operating conditions that fluctuate constantly above and below approximately 1,500 RPM and where a significant amount of metal to metal contact does occur.
Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) is a blue/grey to black mineral having a layer/lattice lamellar crystalline structure. There are strong molecular bonds within layers and weak bonds between layers. Along the weakly bonded basal plane between layers, shearing take place easily resulting in very low friction. The coefficient of friction of MoS2 is the lowest known to science. It retains its low friction from -300F to +1,000F in air and exceeds the American Petroleum Institute's (API) specifications for lubricity by 360%. MoS2 has a natural magnetic attraction to metals, particularly steel, through molecular polarity. However, it will plate against metal only one crystal thick which satisfies the attraction. No additional MoS2 will plate out until the first crystal is worn away and this fact prevents build up or caking. When all metal moving parts are plated with MoS2, there is no metal to metal contact under any conditions and wear is virtually eliminated.
Utilizing its over 60 years in the Aerospace/Defence industry, The Parsec Group (www.theparsecgroup.com) has brought solid lubrication technology with MoS2 to razor sharp perfection. Using both proprietary and classified manufacturing processes, Parsec has developed remicronization of MoS2 bringing the crystals down to an almost uniform size of 0.3 micron or 120 millionths of an inch. This allows the MoS2 to penetrate into even the smallest of lubrications points. This colloidal suspension of MoS2 is then married to a pure liquid petroleum subsurface lubricant which also contains an acid and corrosion inhibitor (neutralizer). The compounds then provide the ultimate in surface and subsurface lubrication. No environmental problems are encounterd in using, handling, storage or disposal of Parsec (www.theparsecgroup.com) formulas.
A recent application of Parsec technology was made to a 200+ diesel bus mass transit operation with transit maintenance staff maintaining and controlling all records. At the end of the first 32 weeks, records clearly showed harmful emissions were reduced a minimum of 50% to a maximum of 65.7% (HC, CO, NOx, and CO2,) oil consumption between changes dropped to almost nothing, equipment life was increased by over 75% [43% drop in wear metals and a 93% drop in silicon (spectroscopic used oil analysis)] and fuel economy was substantially increased even though it could not be finitely quantified due to an excessive amount of variables. However, independent testing by the University of Michigan using the SAE J-1082 test method clearly showed a 22.4% increase in fuel economy in the urban (stop and go) cycle.
Parsec's technology is so effective that they warrant not only no cost to the end user but a guaranteed profit, in the form of savings, equal to at least 200% of the cost of the technology (www.theparsecgroup.com/warranty.htm) . In the case of the transit operation mentioned above, their savings, as measured against the cost of the technology, was 1,000% and this did not include savings in fuel cost, downtime and maintenance costs.