MoS2 excels as a lubricating material (see below) due to its layered structure and low coefficient of friction. Interlayer sliding dissipates energy when a shear stress is applied to the material. Extensive work has been performed to characterize the coefficient of friction and shear strength of MoS2 in various atmospheres. The shear strength of MoS2 increases as the coefficient of friction increases. This property is called superlubricity. At ambient conditions, the coefficient of friction for MoS2 was determined to be 0.150, with a corresponding estimated shear strength of 56.0 MPa. Direct methods of measuring the shear strength indicate that the value is closer to 25.3 MPa.