MICSA Technolagy

Industrial society moves on ﬁlms of oil. In recent decades, the chemical characteristics of those ﬁlms have evolved from rather simple to extremely complex. Modern machines also have advances in technology that make them increasingly dependent on complex lubrication. The technical requirement for increased performance and decreased size in internal combustion engines has several drawbacks such as smaller bearings and higher operating temperatures. Traditionally, as loads, speeds, and temperatures increased, the lubrication chemist relied on oil’s viscosity at operating temperatures to perform its well-known functions. Lubricating ﬁlms separate machine parts and keeps wear at acceptable levels. The push for increased energy savings required low viscosity lubricants, however, while this relieved the machine of the energy-wasting chore of shearing its own oil ﬁlms, it is not entirely consistent with the parallel goals of long life and low wear, easy start-up, and minimum stick-slip. As a result, complex additives are used to achieve these goals. One way to get around the contradictory requirements of low viscosity at low temperatures and sufﬁcient viscosity at high temperatures is to incorporate lubricating colloids in the oil. Graphite and molybdenum disulﬁde were used in the past but they turned the oils black. Lead naphthenate and borates have also been tried. Toxicity and water solubility limited their use. Zinc dithiophosphate, discovered in the 1940s, was later phased out as it poisoned catalytic converters. At one time, zinc dithiophosphate was thought to be one of the best anti-wear additives ever discovered. Another proven approach engineered and patented in the 1980s is to incorporate colloids of Floropolymers into lubricants, in particular a Homopolymer combined with variable grade Monomers such as MICSA®. With proper chemistry, desirable results with no discolouring of the oil, no plugging of oil ﬁlters and no slug accumulation have been accomplished.

Micsa in Engines

The internal combustion engine’s crankcase is a chemical sewer. It is alternately hot, cold, bathed in combustion gases, soot, metallic wear debris and abrasive grit from the air the engine inhales. It is diluted with fuel and condensed water and an occasional (often catastrophic) dose of ethylene glycol from head gasket leaks. The engine is not lubricated by oil alone. What it is lubricated with is far from simple. Complex populations of particles start collecting after an oil change and increase with time. By deﬁnition and with microscopic examination showing Brownian movement, these are shown to be colloids. Since working oils are loaded with colloids as the result of normal use, it makes sense to use colloids towards creating a better lubrication. Floropolymers such as MICSA has many desirable characteristics and has been instrumental in using colloids in lubrication. The Homopolymer PTFE one of the monomers in MICSA stands for Polytetraﬂuoroethylene, which is a synthetic ﬂuoropolymer. Water and water-containing substances do not wet PTFE monomer; therefore adhesion to PTFE surfaces is inhibited. It is very non-reactive, and so is often used in containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals. When used as a lubricant, PTFE can reduce friction, wear, and energy consumption of machinery. PTFE colloids, well known for their low friction, have at ﬁrst glance, great appeal as additives. However, the fact that PTFE colloids don’t like water or oil has made their use in that application far from simple. PTFE cannot just be stirred into an oil to make a satisfactory lubricant. The dispersion chemistry and additives used must be chosen with great care and the dispersion technique is extremely important. Powerful synergistic interactions exist and when properly done, extraordinary lubricants such as MICSA result and a new class of lubricants with remarkable low friction and wear has been accomplished. Four-ball tests show low wear and a coefﬁcient of friction of .029 for a fully formulated lubricant based on this technology.

MICSA & Lubrication

When blended Monomers are properly dispersed in engine oil, there is no tendency for particles to form due to the process of polymerization. Superior lubricants with remarkable properties can be formulated using the techniques that produce this type of dispersion. Laboratory work using the 4-ball test has shown that these lubricants, used both as concentrates and as additives to other lubricants (e.g. greases), have extraordinarily low friction and wear. Engine tests in the U.S., Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, and Canada have confirmed that laboratory results correlate closely with the performance of machines in actual practice. Benefits of Monomer Technology Using the right colloidal chemistry provides added benefits beyond low friction and wear. Lubricants utilizing Homopolymer colloids may also:

Provide increased horsepower
Improve efficiency
Decrease wear and tear on engines and moving parts
Extend time between rebuilds
Provide protection through rust inhibitors
Improve boundary films

Another added, but unexpected, beneﬁt is a cleaner internal engine. Properly formulated, colloidal chemistries keep unwanted particles and sludge in suspension,allowing ﬁlters to sift them out.

Micsa Future

As materials, fluoropolymers have been found useful in a variety of industrial, commercial, and domestic applications. Principle properties of inert chemical toughness, water and stain resistance, high durability, together with enhanced optical and electronic properties have made fluoropolymers the preferred material for many specialist applications. Fluoroplastics dominate the fluoropolymer industry with PTFE still at the forefront of manufacture and use. The fluoropolymer market is presently increasing at a steady rate of 5–8% per year. Further demand will put pressure on sourcing of raw materials (e.g. fluorspar) creating further competition with the global steel, aluminium, and fertiliser industries. The future holds promise for increased use of fluoropolymer materials in all areas of engineering, manufacturing, construction, energy, electronics, and medicine. As with the discovery and development of fluoropolymers throughout the last 80 years, chemists will lie at the heart of new discoveries and technologies for the future.