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 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.

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.

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 then become dormant from lack of the localized high temperatures, returning the metal to its original density.