Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Nanoscale Sliding Friction Process between Sphere and Plane

Abstract

Contact surface of nanoscale sliding friction represent some new features that are different from the macro scale sliding friction, which need to seek new analysis methods. Molecular dynamics simulation is an effective method to describe microscopic phenomena. Therefore, Molecular dynamics method was used to study mechanical behavior of contact surface of nanoscale sliding friction. A molecular dynamics model of hemisphere sphere sliding on rectangular solid plane was built. State change of the micro contact area and friction force variation in the process of sliding friction were observed and analyzed after solution and simulation. The results show that, at the beginning position of the sliding, with different contact depth, contact action region of hemisphere and plane generated the atoms displacement, re-arranged and close-packed accumulation is also different. The deeper the contact depth is, the greater the atoms close-packed accumulation is, and the greater the contact deformation is. In the process of sliding friction, the contact surface of the basal body has produced lattice destruction, surface upheaval and silicon atoms close-packed accumulation, and then formed furrow scratches. At the same time the silicon atoms of the hemisphere generated atomic migration obviously and adhered on the basal body surface. The top of the hemisphere was torn and peeled, which resulted in wear. The deeper contact depth is, the more loss of the material of the hemisphere is, and wear become heavier. The curve of friction force and sliding displacement in different contact depths shows that the deeper contact depth is, the greater friction force is. The friction force increases quickly at the beginning of the sliding. Then the friction force remains steady relatively at stable sliding phase. In subsequent sliding process, due to hemisphere was worn and the original contact surface changed in size, shape and configuration state, friction force decreases obviously. Besides, in process of sliding friction, due to stick-slip effect, friction force appears obviously fluctuations. Moreover, if the sliding speed is large the changes of sliding speed have less effect on friction force when the nanoscale sphere sliding on the plane at the different speeds.