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INTERLUBE'S
EXCLUSIVE SURFACE IMPROVING
3rd GENERATION "EUTECTIC" TECHNOLOGY
Interlube International holds exclusive
rights to Surface Improving Eutectic additives. Interlube's Eutectic
additive contained in Opti products work to reduce friction, heat and
wear associated with the severe demands placed on today's power
equipment, improving performance and extending engine life.
The following explains the fundamentals
of lubrication along with the three generations of oils. Opti oil's
Surface Improving Eutectic additive is explained as the third generation
of oil.
FUNDAMENTALS OF LUBRICATION:
Although a lubricant must perform many functions, its most important job
is to protect working components by reducing friction. To analyze this
critical aspect of lubrication, lets take a look at what is being
lubricated and how different lubricants approach the task. All machined
metal surfaces have a surprising amount of surface 
roughness (pictured right). The fundamental purpose of lubrication is to
separate metal surfaces. The microscopic peaks and valleys in all
finished components make surface separation more difficult. An oil layer
with a thickness of at least twice the height of the tallest peak must
be maintained in order to eliminate metal-to-metal contact. If complete
surface separation is achieved, the resulting condition is called
hydrodynamic lubrication. Hydrodynamic lubrication is not difficult to
achieve provided a constant speed with no load is maintained.
Unfortunately, rarely does power equipment run at a constant speed with
no load. Under a loaded condition the surfaces can be forced together
resulting in metal-to-metal contact, and of course wear.
SURFACE IMPROVEMENT:
To assist in the formation and maintenance of hydrodynamic conditions,
additives are used in lubricant formulation to smooth out surface
roughness. All current oil formulations include some method of
accelerating surface improvement. Separating oils by their built-in
surface improvement process yields 3 oil classifications or
"generations" as they are commonly called.
1st Generation
CONVENTIONAL LUBRICANTS:
These lubricants utilize an abrasive wear concept that
allows for surface clashing and smoothening through a sacrificial
process of removing surface material. In many conventional lubricant
applications, E.P. (extreme pressure) additives are used to promote the
abrasion process through chemical reaction. These conventional oils have
been in wide use since the 1920's. Conventional oils with EP-additives
form metallic salt layers at the mating surfaces through 
chemical reaction, which prevent seizing of the surfaces. The built-up
film is constantly renewed, but causes continuous wear. The surfaces
slowly etch away at each other until a smoother, yet somewhat crude
surface results. This is a sacrificial process that results in small
metal particles being removed from the component and can contaminate the
oil film.
2ND Generation
SURFACE IMPROVEMENT THROUGH SOLID ADDITIVE BUILD-UP:
 In
the late 1940's solid additives were first introduced to many specialty
oil applications. These solid additives such as 
graphite, molybdenum (pictured left), silicone, Teflon, etc., work under
the concept of coating the contact surfaces to protect against surface
clashing. Lubricants containing solid particles form under pressure a
protective layer with a low friction value. In  this
case material is not removed, rather deposited. Solid additives are
deposited in the valleys to create a smoother surface. They are designed
to protect against metal contact by coming between two peaks at the
moment of contact. The peak will deform, rather than weld and break. The
solid 
additive flake will shear allowing the two deformed peaks to pass by
each other with limited damage. Solid additives provide smoother surface
area through a less sacrificial 
process. However, particle size and concentration makes it statistically
impossible for an additive flake to be present each time two peaks come
together. Some abrasive wear does occur.
3rd Generation
SURFACE IMPROVEMENT THROUGH METAL RESTRUCTURING (All OPTI
OILS ARE 3rd GENERATION OIL TECHNOLOGY):
In the 1970's a 3rd generation of oil technology was
developed and further enhanced in the late 1980's. This 
technology utilizes a eutectic reaction that restructures contact points
without removing or adding material. When metal to metal contact occurs,
extremely high but localized temperatures cause a 
reaction between the additives and the mother material. Although
highlighted here, these localized temperatures occur with all oil
technologies, but only eutectic additives utilize these conditions to
restructure the metal surface. The metal peaks become soft and are
deformed by the pressure. Repeated 
deformation restructures the surfaces to their optimum smoothness until
no peaks are clashing. Additives them become dormant from lack of the
localized high temperatures, returning the metal to its original
density.
Comparison of surface improvement results:
Photographic enlargements quickly illustrate the results
of the three generations of lubricants. These photos show magnified
views of contact surfaces before and after break-in. Each was using the
specified lubricant, all running under identical load, ambient
temperature, time period, speed, etc.
This picture shows a newly finished metal surface prior to break-in. To
the naked eye, this surface would appear like glass, however, through
magnification we can see it is actually covered with microscopic peaks
and valleys.
Conventional Lubrication:
This picture shows a cylinder surface after break-in with 1st generation
lubricant. The first oils simply formed a liquid cushion between moving
parts and allowed microscopic surface roughness to slowly smooth through
abrasion. Later, chemicals were added which formed metallic salt layers
on the sliding surfaces to slowly wear away surface irregularities.
Solid Lubrication:
This picture shows a cylinder surface after break-in with solid
lubricant. The second generation oil development was a lubricating
medium containing graphite, molybdenum, Teflon or other solid additives
that formed a protective layer under pressure and filled in microscopic
pits and valleys to form a smooth sliding surface. Instead of wearing
away metal, they built up on the metal surface.
Performance Activated Lubrication- Opti-2/Opti-4:
This process involves neither abrasion nor build-up. It produces an
action that causes the metal surfaces to restructure. The metal deforms
and rapidly produces super-smooth, hardened, sliding surfaces. The
harder the engine is run, the more effective the lubricant becomes.
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