Abstract
We study the effect of atomic-scale surface-lubricant interactions on nanoscale boundary-lubricated friction by considering two example surfaces—hydrophilic mica and hydrophobic graphene—confining thin layers of water in molecular dynamics simulations. We observe stick-slip dynamics for thin water films confined by mica sheets, involving periodic breaking-reforming transitions of atomic-scale capillary water bridges formed around the potassium ions of mica. However, only smooth sliding without stick-slip events is observed for water confined by graphene, as well as for thicker water layers confined by mica. Thus, our results illustrate how atomic-scale details affect the wettability of the confining surfaces and consequently control the presence or absence of stick-slip dynamics in nanoscale friction.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 095502 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-5 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Keywords
- friction
- lubrication
- molecular dynamics