Molybdenite

<p>Molybdenite is a <a href="/facts/Mineral/LkUFbNmv">mineral</a> of <a href="/facts/Molybdenum_disulfide/4TRft6Ua">molybdenum disulfide</a>, <a href="/facts/Molybdenum/RX6vp2bF">Mo</a><a href="/facts/Sulfur/IK0amTfM">S</a>2. Similar in appearance and feel to <a href="/facts/Graphite/sSf3KMXr">graphite</a>, molybdenite has a lubricating effect that is a consequence of its layered structure.  The atomic structure consists of a sheet of <a href="/facts/Molybdenum/RX6vp2bF">molybdenum</a> atoms sandwiched between sheets of <a href="/facts/Sulfur/IK0amTfM">sulfur</a> atoms.  The Mo-S bonds are strong, but the interaction between the sulfur atoms at the top and bottom of separate sandwich-like tri-layers is weak, resulting in easy slippage as well as  <a href="/facts/Cleavage_(crystal)/p4YHe01X">cleavage planes</a>.
Molybdenite crystallizes in the <a href="/facts/Hexagonal_crystal_system/sSSok8wo">hexagonal crystal system</a> as the common <a href="/facts/Polymorphism_(materials_science)/bu2tqsB9">polytype</a> 2H and also in the <a href="/facts/Trigonal/sSSok8wo">trigonal</a> system as the 3R polytype.
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Molybdenite open-in-new

Molybdenite