Multibond Dynamics of Nanoscale Friction: The Role of Temperature

Abstract

The main challenge in predicting sliding friction is related to the complexity of highly nonequilibrium processes, the kinetics of which are controlled by the interface temperature. Our experiments reveal a nonmonotonic enhancement of dry nanoscale friction at cryogenic temperatures for different material classes. Concerted simulations show that it emerges from two competing processes acting at the interface: the thermally activated formation as well as rupturing of an ensemble of atomic contacts. These results provide a new conceptual framework to describe the dynamics of dry friction.

Electrostatic interactions in biological DNA-related systems

“…[207][208][209] For DNA, recent advances in singlemolecule manipulation techniques have allowed measuring the forces required to pull one DNA over another in a tight superhelical DNA ply, the so-called dual optical trap apparatus. Tight winding of two DNAs in the ply implemented in this set-up can facilitate their interactions.…”

Current trends in the physics of nanoscale friction

“…Simulations performed within the Prandtl-Tomlinson (PT) model reveal that temperature can affect the slip length resulting in a nonmonotonic temperature dependence of friction [86]. Simulations best representing the experimental conditions show that this dependence emerges from two competing processes acting at the interface: the thermally activated formation and the rupturing of an ensemble of atomic contacts [85,87]. In addition, a new competing mechanisms due to athermal instability inherent in AFM measurement has been proposed [88].…”

“…A breakdown of this simple rule is provided by Friction Force Microscopy (FFM) experiments that find a peak in the wearless friction of a point contact at cryogenic temperatures for several classes of materials, including amorphous, crystalline, and layered surfaces [84,85]. Simulations performed within the Prandtl-Tomlinson (PT) model reveal that temperature can affect the slip length resulting in a nonmonotonic temperature dependence of friction [86].…”

Review Article: Case studies in future trends of computational and experimental nanomechanics

“…109 Long-time scale chemical evolution can be also described by so-called multibond models. 110 These models at present are phenomenological but, in principle, they can readily accept input from atomistic simulations. Finally, methods based on fluctuation dissipation theory have also been developed to model viscous friction in the limit of extremely low shear rates (long-time scales).…”

“…209 They used a modified embedded-atom-method (MEAM) to study [110]-oriented silicon nanowires under tension with diameters of 2-7 nm, strain rates of 5 Â 108 s…”