What is friction

Number one enemy of mechanical efficiency and performance is friction!

What is friction?

By definition, friction is the resistance that is encountered when two solid surfaces slide or tend to slide over each other.

What happens when friction is occurring?

Friction breaks down the fluid film of the lubricant between the surfaces: produces wear or metal loss, scuffing, tearing and welding between the metal surfaces: releases energy in the form of heat, which can be adverse to the mechanism and contaminates the lubricants used.

Moving parts are theoretically designed so that there is sufficient fluid pressure between the moving parts to keep these parts separated by this fluid film. This is what is called hydrodynamic lubrication (which can be compared to what is called hydroplaning, where under wet road conditions, the water that is sandwiched between the tire and road surface, under certain speeds, separates the tire from the road surface, giving the effect whereby the tire is gliding on a pressurized film of water) and is the ideal lubrication theory. Changes in load and speeds however tend to make this film thin, resulting in metal-to-metal contact. When this happens, the following phenomena occur between the metal surfaces: welding, scuffing and/or tearing, or absorbs heat: it starts to oxidize, resulting in an increase in viscosity (compared to new oil at comparable temperatures), acid, peroxide, carbon residue, sludge and asphaltene formation. As the oil oxidizes it becomes increasingly corrosive resulting in greater wear of metal surfaces. 

Marks’ Engineering manual states that “the process of oxidation becomes critical when oil is operating above  150оF (66oC). It is not uncommon to find lubricating oil sump temperatures in excess of 250оF (121оС). The rate of oxidation doubles for each 18оF (8оC) rise in temperature of the oil above 150оF (66оC)”. It is easy to see how susceptible the engine oil (especially in turbo charged engines) is to oxidation. Also it is important to understand that the viscosity of oil decreases as oil temperatures increase, resulting in loss of ability to form fluid film between the metal surfaces, causing greater metal-to-metal contact. All of the above only serve to prove that friction is the greatest demerit inherent in internal combustion engines, transmissions and differentials.

Lubricants are required to carry out numerous functions in order to provide adequate lubrication. Crankcase oils, in addition to reducing friction and wear, must keep the engine clean and free from rust and corrosion, must act as a coolant and sealant, and must serve as a hydraulic fluid in an engine with hydraulic valve lifters. The lubricant may function under high temperatures and in the presence of dust, water and other adverse atmospheric conditions as well as with materials formed as a result of incomplete combustion: it must be resistant to oxidation and sludge formation. Therefore, many lubricants contain many additives and agents to meet these demands, but completely adequate or perfect lubricants are not economically possible. If such oils were produced, your cost would be over ten times what you may now pay for every oil change.

POLYTRON “Anti-Friction Metal Treatment” technology is specifically engineered to reduce friction problems at the source.

The success of conventional lubricating oils is predicated upon maintaining a high film strength oil barrier between two surfaces moving relative to each other. Resistance to the movement of these surfaces is defined as friction, which can be either sliding or rolling, or which can be caused by the shearing action of a lubricant attempting to separate the two surfaces. Hydrodynamic, hydrostatic, and boundary lubrication typically occur in some combination in virtually all mechanisms which require lubrication, and most commercial lubricants are reasonably capable of doing the job for which they are intended. Our product is a new lubricant that takes normal lubrication a step further, in that it not only has superior film strength but also impregnates the metal itself, metallurgically, at the friction surfaces. The friction is reduced almost to zero.