The Evolution of Nanoscale Third Body Layer Revealed by Graphite Structural Superlubric Contact.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39636001.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c05174.
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Abstract
Revealing the evolution of nanoscale third bodies confined between sliding surfaces is essential to understanding the friction and electrical properties for solid contacts. Here, with graphite/graphite contacts in structural superlubricity, a state of no wear and ultralow friction, we <i>in situ</i> reveal the morphological evolution of a third body layer introduced by air through measuring friction and conductance during cyclic hold-slide tests. The directional transport of confined molecules causes apparent elastic deformation of the third body layer, leading to local graphite/graphite direct contact. Together with a proposed quantum tunneling effective thickness (<i>d</i><sub>eff</sub>) model, a constant volume of third bodies with a sub-nm thickness is observed. Our work provides a feasible approach to investigate the kinetics of substances under nanoscale confinement.