Lubricants, like any other fluids, can wet surfaces. Example: Grease spot on a tablecloth. Spot of water on a clean pane of glass.
Example: Miniature stepping motor gears in automotive instruments
The oil acts as a noise damping, reducing it by up to 25 dba.
The complete small gear wheel is epilamized by immersion. The oil remains in the gaps between the teeth.
Stepping motor gears with epilamized and oiled gear wheel. The main purpose of lubrication is to damp noise.
Noise suppression on a polymer gear wheel with oiled gaps between teeth. Previously epilamized with Antispread E2 / 200 FE 60. Short-profile teeth.
Drops of water on a lady's mantle leaf. The leaf's surface is "biologically" epilamized! Plants have special wax-like layers for this purpose. However, these only work with water (lotus effect).