Interfacial charge density and its connection to adhesion and frictional forces

Abstract

We derive a connection between the intrinsic tribological properties and the electronic properties of a solid interface. In particular, we show that the adhesion and frictional forces are dictated by the electronic charge redistribution occurring due to the relative displacements of the two surfaces in contact. We define a figure of merit to quantify such charge redistribution and show that simple functional relations hold for a wide series of interactions including metallic, covalent and physical bonds. This suggests unconventional ways of measuring friction by recording the evolution of the interfacial electronic charge during sliding. Finally, we explain that the key mechanism to reduce adhesive friction is to inhibit the charge flow at the interface and provide examples of this mechanism in common lubricant additives.

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• Interfacial charge density and its connection to adhesion and frictional forces
• Tribochemistry of graphene on iron and its possible role in lubrication of steel
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• Insights into the adhesion and delamination strength of carbon films on metals by high-throughput ab initio calculations
• Tuning friction at material-nanoparticle-liquid interfaces with an external electric field
• Experimental testing of the Prandtl-Tomlinson model: Molecular origin of rotational friction
• A survey of interlayer interaction models for graphene and other 2D materials