AVS 50th International Symposium
    Nanometer Structures Wednesday Sessions
       Session NS-WeA

Paper NS-WeA3
Effect of Electric Fields on Nanoscale Friction Properties of Self-assembled Monolayers: Towards Active Friction Control of Interfaces

Wednesday, November 5, 2003, 2:40 pm, Room 308

Session: Nanotribology
Presenter: S. Sundararajan, Iowa State University
Authors: S. Sundararajan, Iowa State University
K.K. Kanaga Subramanian, Iowa State University
P. Hattan, Iowa State University
Correspondent: Click to Email
The ability to actively control friction properties of an interface is of great interest to both nanotechnology and macroscale applications. We present our investigations on the effect of an external electric field on the micro/nanotribological properties of selected self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) using scanning probe microscopy (SPM). It is theorized that an external field would affect the structure of the SAMs, thereby affecting their tribological behavior. The SAMs studied include -CH@Sub3@,-COOH and oligo (ethylene glycol) terminated alkanethiols, and amino terminated silane on Au/Mica due to their well known structures and tribological properties. Micro/nanoscale friction and adhesive forces between the SAMs and a Si@sub3@N@sub4@ tip are studied as a function of applied external AC and DC fields to identify switchable friction states of the SAMs. This study would provide a better understanding of lubrication mechanisms at the molecular level and direct us to realize surfaces for active friction control.