AFM Shows How Graphene Slips Under Strain

The ultra-low surface friction of graphene and other 2D materials offers exciting possibilities for nano-thin lubricants in next-generation MEMS and NEMS devices. The ability to actively control, and preferably minimize, friction would help realize the full potential of this application. In this work, scientists showed that by simply stretching a graphene sheet, its friction was reduced even further and could be adjusted in a controlled, reversible way. AFM friction and adhesion measurements experimentally supported the predictions of molecular dynamics simulations, which indicated that the effect arose from strain-induced changes in the atomic-scale contact. The tunable friction demonstrated in these results could enable a range of new devices with dynamically-configurable sliding interfaces.

Notes

• Friction with lateral force microscopy, adhesion with force curves, and topography on Cypher
• Authors at Tsinghua Univ. and several other institutes in China
• Application = Tribology (of Graphene & 2D Materials)