Work

Scaling‐Up of Structural Superlubricity: Challenges and Opportunities

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Structural superlubricity (SSL) at layered material interfaces is an exciting and vibrant field of research, offering vast opportunities to achieve ultralow friction and wear with numerous potential technological applications. At increasing length‐scales, new physical and chemical energy dissipation pathways emerge that threaten to push the system out of the superlubric regime. Physical inhibitors of SSL are primarily associated with in‐plane elasticity, out‐of‐plane corrugation, moiré superlattices, grain boundaries, and lattice defects. Chemical mechanisms that may suppress superlubric behavior include interlayer bonding, wear, and external contaminants. In this article, these and other challenges are reviewed facing the scaling‐up of structural superlubricity, as reflected in recent experimental and theoretical studies. Further perspectives are offered on future directions for realizing and manipulating macroscale superlubricity, outlining technological opportunities that it entails.

Source: Advanced Functional Materials

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202423024

Authors: Penghua Ying, Xiang Gao, Diana Berman, Oded Hod, Michael Urbakh

Institutions: Tel Aviv University, University of Science and Technology of China, University of North Texas

Language: English

Topic: Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $5,790

Funder: United States - Israel Binational Science Foundation