Superlubricity of Ice

Abstract

Superlubricity means non-sticky and frictionless when two bodies are set contacting motion. Although this occurrence has been extensively investigated since 1859 when Faraday firstly proposed a quasiliquid skin on ice, the mechanism behind the superlubricity remains debating. This chapter features a consistent understanding of the superlubricity pertaining to the slipperiness of ice, self-lubrication of dry solids, and aqueous lubricancy from the perspective of skin bond-electron-phonon adaptive relaxation. The presence of nonbonding electron polarization, atomic or molecular undercoordination, and solute ionic electrification of the hydrogen bond as an addition, ensures the superlubricity. Nonbond vibration creates soft phonons of high magnitude and low frequency with extraordinary adaptivity and recoverability of deformation. Molecular undercoordination shortens the covalent bond with local charge densification, which in turn polarizes the nonbonding electrons making them localized dipoles. The locally pinned dipoles provide force opposing contact, mimicking maglev and hovercraft.