Abstract
The weak interlayer interaction and strong intralayer bonding in Van der Waals (vdW) layered materials give rise to ultralow friction at incommensurate contact interfaces, a phenomenon known as structural superlubricity. This phenomenon is complicated by the interplay between atomic degrees of freedom, twist angle, and normal force. In this Letter, we exploit naturally occurring cracks in vdW crystals and microfabrication techniques to qualitatively separate the contributions of edge, complete moiré tile, and incomplete moiré rim regions. It is observed that friction from the incomplete moiré rim region, scaling linearly with the rim area, plays a dominant role in determining the twist angle dependence of friction. Interestingly, despite lower friction contributions from complete moirés, friction from a complete moiré tile is independent of moiré size; consequently, friction from the moiré tile scales linearly with the total number of moirés. By integrating the contributions from edge, moiré tile, and incomplete moiré rim, a friction law for vdW heterojunctions is proposed. Finally, friction changes from positively to negatively correlating with normal force, contingent on the suppression of moiré ridge and the dissipation from edge atoms.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.