Recent highlights in nanoscale and mesoscale friction

• Andrea Vanossi,
• Dirk Dietzel,
• Andre Schirmeisen,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Rémy Pawlak,
• Thilo Glatzel,
• Marcin Kisiel,
• Shigeki Kawai and
• Nicola Manini

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1995–2014, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.190

• such as contact ageing [30][31][32][33] or the dependence of friction on the scan direction over crystalline surfaces [34][35][36][37][38] were explored. To address many properties over a broad range of experimental conditions it is sufficient to use simple theoretical models that describe

• sliding nanostructures. A first indication stems from nanomanipulation experiments performed for Sb nanoparticles on HOPG, where distinct contact-ageing effects were demonstrated. By characterizing the ageing dynamics as a function of the temperature, of the sliding velocity, and of the hold time in

• nanoparticle stick–slip experiments [85][86], contact ageing was characterized as a thermally activated process [87]. Atomic-scale interface relaxations, either by single-atom displacements or by the formation and growth of commensurate patches at the interface [88], can serve as a likely explanation for the

Friction force microscopy of tribochemistry and interfacial ageing for the SiO_x/Si/Au system

• Christiane Petzold,
• Marcus Koch and
• Roland Bennewitz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1647–1658, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.157

• ultrahigh vacuum. We measured very low friction forces compared to adhesion forces and found a modulation of lateral forces reflecting the atomic structure of the surfaces. Holding the force-microscopy tip stationary for some time did not lead to an increase in static friction, i.e., no contact ageing was

• observed for these pairs of tip and surface. Passivating layers from tip or surface were removed in order to allow for contact ageing through the development of chemical bonds in the static contact. After removal of the passivating layers, tribochemical reactions resulted in strong friction forces and tip

• wear. Friction, wear, and the re-passivation by oxides are discussed based on results for the temporal development of friction forces, on images of the scanned area after friction force microscopy experiments, and on electron microscopy of the tips. Keywords: contact ageing; friction; nanotribology