Impact Factor:

42.6

DOI number:

10.1038/s41565-022-01126-z

Journal:

Nature Nanotechnology

Abstract:

Friction and wear are detrimental to functionality and reduce the service life of products with mechanical elements. Here, we unveil the atomic-scale friction of a single tungsten asperity in real time through a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy investigation of a nanocontact in countermotion, induced through a piezo actuator. Molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into the sliding pathway of interface atoms and the dynamic strain/stress evolution at the interface. We observe a discrete stick–slip behaviour and an asynchronous process for the accumulation and dissipation of the strain energy together with the non-uniform motion of interface atoms. Our methodology allows for studying in situ atomic-friction phenomena and provides insights into friction phenomena at the atomic scale.

Co-author:

Yang He, Susheng Tan

First Author:

Xiang Wang, Zhenyu Liu

Indexed by:

Journal paper

Correspondence Author:

Guofeng Wang, Scott X. Mao

Discipline:

Engineering

Document Type:

J

Volume:

17

Issue:

7

Page Number:

737-745

Translation or Not:

no

Date of Publication:

2022-05-23

Included Journals:

SCI

Links to published journals:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-022-01126-z