| AVS 62nd International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Tribology Focus Topic | Thursday Sessions |
| Session TR+TF-ThM |
| Session: | Nanolubricants and Coatings |
| Presenter: | Mehmet Z. Baykara, Bilkent University, Turkey |
| Authors: | E. Cihan, Bilkent University, Turkey M.Z. Baykara, Bilkent University, Turkey |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Forming a complete understanding of the physical mechanisms that govern friction on the nanometer and atomic scales is an ongoing endeavor for scientists from various disciplines. While atomic force microscopy (AFM) has proven to be invaluable for the detailed study of nano-scale frictional properties associated with various surfaces, issues related to the precise characterization of the contact formed by the probe tip and the sample surface remain largely unsolved.
In recent years, an alternative approach to nanotribology experiments has involved the lateral manipulation of well-characterized nanoparticles on sample surfaces via AFM and the measurement of associated frictional forces [1]. In line with this idea, we present ambient-condition nano-manipulation experiments involving gold nanoparticles (AuNP) thermally deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), a sample system which has been recently characterized in detail [2]. It is observed that AuNPs experience remarkably low frictional forces during sliding. A detailed study of friction with respect to contact area firmly confirms the occurrence of superlubric sliding under ambient conditions for this sample system. The potential reasons behind the observed phenomenon are discussed with support from theoretical considerations.
[1]: D. Dietzel, U.D. Schwarz, A. Schirmeisen, Friction 2, 114-139 (2014)
[2]: E. Cihan, A. Özoğul, M.Z. Baykara, Applied Surface Science, (2015), DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.04.099