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Main Authors: Chen, Weipeng, Wu, Tielin, Wang, Yelingyi, Peng, Deli, Wang, Jin, Wu, Zhanghui, Zheng, Quanshui
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.08153
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author Chen, Weipeng
Wu, Tielin
Wang, Yelingyi
Peng, Deli
Wang, Jin
Wu, Zhanghui
Zheng, Quanshui
author_facet Chen, Weipeng
Wu, Tielin
Wang, Yelingyi
Peng, Deli
Wang, Jin
Wu, Zhanghui
Zheng, Quanshui
contents Self-superlubricity is a highly anticipated phenomenon where certain solid pairs in contact, without lubricant, exhibit zero wear and virtually null static friction and coefficient of friction (CoF). We present the first experimental observation of self-superlubricity in a microscale single-crystalline graphite flake in contact with a nanoscale-rough Au substrate, achieved when the applied normal pressure exceeds a critical threshold. Theoretical analysis revealed that substrate roughness impedes full contact at low pressures, but increasing the pressure induces a transition to full contact, enabling self-superlubricity. We established a dimensionless criterion for this critical pressure, further validated by observing self-superlubricity between graphite and an atomically smooth sapphire substrate without requiring additional pressure. This breakthrough introduces a transformative principle for next-generation microsystems such as micro/nanoscale generators, motors, oscillators, sensors, etc., enabling reduced power consumption and extended operational lifetimes in applications such as 6G communication, humanoid robotics, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_08153
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Observation of zero coefficient of friction above a critical pressure
Chen, Weipeng
Wu, Tielin
Wang, Yelingyi
Peng, Deli
Wang, Jin
Wu, Zhanghui
Zheng, Quanshui
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Self-superlubricity is a highly anticipated phenomenon where certain solid pairs in contact, without lubricant, exhibit zero wear and virtually null static friction and coefficient of friction (CoF). We present the first experimental observation of self-superlubricity in a microscale single-crystalline graphite flake in contact with a nanoscale-rough Au substrate, achieved when the applied normal pressure exceeds a critical threshold. Theoretical analysis revealed that substrate roughness impedes full contact at low pressures, but increasing the pressure induces a transition to full contact, enabling self-superlubricity. We established a dimensionless criterion for this critical pressure, further validated by observing self-superlubricity between graphite and an atomically smooth sapphire substrate without requiring additional pressure. This breakthrough introduces a transformative principle for next-generation microsystems such as micro/nanoscale generators, motors, oscillators, sensors, etc., enabling reduced power consumption and extended operational lifetimes in applications such as 6G communication, humanoid robotics, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
title Observation of zero coefficient of friction above a critical pressure
topic Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.08153