Manipulation of gold nanoparticles in liquid environments using scanning force microscopy

Precise and controlled manipulation of individual gold nanoparticles (deposited on a Si/SiO2 surface) in liquid environments using the tip of a scanning force microscope is reported for the first time. Experiments were performed in deionized water and in ethanol as a prototype for an organic solvent. Analysis of the amplitude signal of the cantilever before and during manipulation reveals that the particles are pushed across the surface, similar to the manipulation of nanoparticles in air.     

A scanning force microscope study of detachment of nanometer‐sized particles from glass surfaces

The nominal shear stress required to detach nanometer‐scale, single‐crystal salt particles from a soda lime glass substrate is a strong function of particle size and relative humidity. We use the tip of an atomic force microscope to detach these particles from a glass substrate under controlled atmospheres of known humidity. The peak lateral force at detachment was divided by the nominal particle area to yield an effective interfacial shear strength. We describe the variation of shear strength with particle area and humidity in terms of detachment by chemically assisted crack growth along the salt–glass interface. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Surface damage of poly(methylmethacrylate) under fretting loading

The initial fretting damage in a glass/PMMA contact was investigated by means of experiments and numerical (F.E.M.) simulations. Both micro-crack nucleation at the contact edges and particle detachment were identified on the PMMA's surface. Micro-crack initiation was related to the combination of high tensile stresses and positive hydrostatic pressures which are known to enhance crazing. During the early stages of the fretting tests, the distribution of the detached particles within the contact was correlated to the spatial distribution of the cumulative interfacial energy dissipated by friction. As the number of cycles was increased, it was observed that detached particles moved toward the middle of the contact. On the basis of FEM simulations, this particle displacement within the contact was attributed to the existence of differential micro-displacements during the fretting cycle.     

Simultaneous measurement of normal and friction forces using a cantilever-based optical interfacial force microscope

We measured normal and friction forces simultaneously using a recently developed cantilever-based optical interfacial force microscope technique for studies of interfacial structures and mechanical properties of nanoscale materials. We derived how the forces can be incorporated into the detection signal using the classical Euler equation for beams. A lateral modulation with the amplitude of nanometers was applied to create the friction forces between tip and sample. We demonstrated its capability by measuring normal and friction forces of interfacial water at the molecular scale over all distance ranges.     

Stick-Slip Motions in the Friction Force Microscope: Effects of Tip Compliance

When a microcantilever with a nanoscale tip is scanned laterally over a surface to measure the nanoscale frictional forces, the onset of stick-slip tip motions is an extremely important phenomenon that signals the onset of lateral friction forces. In this article, we investigate theoretically the influence of tip and microcantilever compliance on this phenomenon. We show that static considerations alone cannot predict uniquely the onset of single or multiple atom slip events. Instead, the nonlinear dynamics of the tip during a slip event need to be carefully investigated to determine if the tip evolves to a single or multiple atom stick-slip motions. The results suggest that the relative compliances of the tip and microcantilever can be engineered to induce single or multiple atom stick-slip events and thus control lateral friction forces at the nanoscale.     

Scratching polycarbonate: A quantitative model

Generally it is understood that friction is additively decomposed into an adhesion- and a deformation-related component, suggesting independence. Experimentally these components cannot be separated and only by combining experiments with simulations, a decoupled analysis is possible. We apply this hybrid experimental–numerical approach in the single-asperity scratch test, simplifying the friction geometry. Simulations without adhesive interaction between tip and surface result in friction forces that are only half of the experimental ones, and are almost not influenced by the sliding velocity. In case of an additive decomposition, this would imply a large contribution of the adhesive component which, moreover, should take care of all rate dependency. This sounds unrealistic. By inclusion of constant friction between tip and polymer, we find that the adhesive component strongly influences the contribution of the deformation component by the formation of a bow wave in front of the sliding tip. Experimental friction forces are quantitatively predicted, including the rate dependency. This entails that the suggested additive decomposition is not applicable and the large macroscopic deformation response proves to be the result of small changes in local processes. Using the model, for the first time, quantitative relations between the polymer's intrinsic mechanical properties and its frictional properties are established.     

Effects of NBR Particle Size on Performance of Carbon Fiber–Reinforced Paper-Based Friction Material

In the present work, three different sized nitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR) particles were used to modify carbon fiber–reinforced paper-based friction material (CFRPF). The effects of NBR particle size on performance of CFRPF were studied. The microstructure and properties of the samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis, and wet friction performance testing. Experimental results indicated that there were four stages in the thermal degradation of NBR-modified CFRPF. NBR particle size had a great effect on the first degradation stage (100–300°C). The highest friction coefficient was obtained with the sample containing the finest NBR particles. The wear rate of the friction materials decreased with an increase in NBR particle size. However, NBR particle size had little influence on the wear rate of the couple plate. The sample containing coarse NBR particles showed excellent friction stability under oil-lubricated conditions.     

A Model for Polymer Composite Wear Behavior Including Preferential Load Support and Surface Accumulation of Filler Particulates

A rule-of-mixtures model is developed for the time-dependent wear and friction behavior of polymer matrix materials containing particulate filler inclusions, based upon the specific wear rates of filler and matrix materials. The model accounts for the accumulation of wear-resistant filler particles within the near-surface region of the composite as sliding proceeds. Account is also made for preferential support of the normal load by filler particles at the sliding surface. Though particle/matrix interfacial shear stress and particle aspect ratio do affect initial transient behavior, wear rate, and friction are independent of preferential load support under steady-state conditions. The model indicates that steady-state composite wear rate can be most affected by the specific wear resistance of the filler particles, as well as the volume fraction filling of particles into the polymer matrix.     

Velocity dependent friction laws in contact mode atomic force microscopy

Friction forces in the tip–sample contact govern the dynamics of contact mode atomic force microscopy. In ambient conditions typical contact radii between tip and sample are in the order of a few nanometers. In order to account for the large interaction area the dynamics of contact mode atomic force microscope (AFM) is investigated under the assumption of a multi-asperity contact interface between tip and sample. Thus, the kinetic friction force between tip and sample is the product of the real contact area between both solids and the interfacial shear strength. The velocity strengthening of the lateral force is modeled assuming a logarithmic relationship between shear-strength and velocity. Numerical simulations of the system dynamics with this empirical model show the existence of two different regimes in contact mode AFM: steady sliding and stick–slip where the tip undergoes periodically stiction and kinetic friction. The state of the system depends on the scan velocity as well as on the velocity dependence of the interfacial friction force between tip and sample. Already small viscous damping contributions in the tip–sample contact are sufficient to suppress stick–slip oscillations.     

Wear of a single asperity using Lateral Force Microscopy

This report describes an observation of alternating transitions between linear (Amontons) and non-linear friction-load behavior during Lateral Force Microscope experiments using a silicon tip sliding on a quartz surface. Initially, a transition from linear to non-linear behavior was attributed to nanoscale ‘running-in’ of the tip to form a single contact junction at the interface. Once this had occurred, a non-linear relationship between friction and applied load was observed during a number of loading and unloading cycles. For higher compressive loads, a further transition to a more linear friction-load behavior was attributed to nanoscale wear in the contact zone. Notably, when applied load was reduced below this ‘high-load’ transition point, the same non-linear friction-load behavior was again observed, but with a larger (friction per load) magnitude than seen previously. This cycle was repeated five times in these experiments, and each time, switching between non-linear and linear friction-load behavior occurred, along with a progressive increase in friction (per load) each time load was reduced below the transition point. The progressive increase in friction is attributed to an increased area of contact, caused by nanoscale wear at higher applied loads. An increase in tip size was confirmed by tip profiling before and after experiment. By progressively wearing the asperity at higher loads, the (interfacial or true) contact area, A, between the surfaces could be progressively increased, and as a result, a progressive increase in interfacial sliding friction, F _f , was obtained at lower loads (according to F _f = τA).     

磨屑对润滑油摩擦性能的影响

通过实验和模拟研究磨粒对润滑油摩擦性能的影响。首先通过微纳米压/划痕试验测量含磨屑润滑油的摩擦因数。同时,建立边界润滑体系模型,采用分子动力学方法模拟含磨屑润滑油膜在不同载荷下沿膜厚方向的压缩率和密度分布;对体系的上下固体壁面施加方向相反的剪切速度,计算出壁面原子的应力、摩擦力、正压力和摩擦因数;分析不同粒径磨屑的动态行为特征;通过减少润滑油分子数量,探究乏油工况下含磨屑润滑体系的摩擦性能。结果表明,润滑体系摩擦因数的模拟值与试验值一致;磨屑的存在会降低油膜的压缩率,同时在高载下磨屑的存在会对油膜的分层产生破坏,影响磨屑附近的密度分布;含小粒径磨屑的润滑体系的摩擦因数比含大粒径磨屑的润滑体系的小,表明磨粒聚集长大现象会恶化润滑油的润滑性能;磨屑在剪切过程中同时存在滚动和滑动,含小粒径磨屑的润滑体系剪切过程中表现出波动幅度更大的角速度;随着载荷的增大,磨屑角速度减小,波动幅度降低;在乏油工况下,磨屑会在剪切过程中出现变形破碎现象。     

A Dislocation-Based Analytical Model for the Nanoscale Processes of Shear and Plowing Friction

We describe a friction model to link the continuum-based shear and plowing method of Bowden and Tabor with the atomistic processes that occur at the nanoscale. We show that the interfacial shear component can be modeled via dislocation drag at the interface, and the plowing in terms of power-law creep. We show that without empirical friction measurements, this approach has a strong predictive power for the interfacial sliding of crystalline materials.     

Macro- and Nanotribological Properties of Graphite Tribofilms: Influence of the Sliding Interface

Macrotribological studies of microcrystalline graphite powder reveal a drastic decrease in the friction coefficient when the experiments are carried out in the presence of low-viscosity liquids. The friction reduction is attributed to the simultaneous presence of particles and liquid in the sliding contact, but the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In order to contribute to the understanding of liquid action in friction reduction mechanisms, nanoscale investigations of the tribofilms have been performed using lateral force microscopy. Attention is devoted to the nanostructure of the film surfaces and their nanofriction behavior using an atomic force microscope. The influence of the tip/sample interfaces on friction properties is investigated by using AFM tips constituted of different compounds (silicon, gold/chromium alloy, silicon nitride or carbon-covered AFM tip) and by performing the nanofriction tests in air or liquid environments. The results indicate that the friction reduction observed at macroscale is attributed neither to the lowering of the shear strength of the carbon/carbon interface in the presence of liquid nor to the nanostructure of the film surface. Collective liquid/particles effects inside the contact during sliding are probably involved.     

Experimental and theoretical evaluation of friction at contacting magnetic storage slider–disk interfaces

To understand better the friction force and wear processes at contacting slider–disk interfaces, we have developed an experimental method for measuring and a theoretical method for calculating the friction force. For this study, a slider with a 1500 μm² contact pad located at the recording head is burnished against a relatively rough disk (～12 Å rms), which ensures smooth sliding. In the experimental method, the friction force is measured as the disk is spun-down to bring the slider–disk interface into an increasing degree of contact. A modified air bearing code is used to determine the experimental normal contact force for each friction measurement. In the theoretical method, the friction force and other relevant interfacial forces are calculated using an improved sub-boundary lubrication (ISBL) rough surface model. The friction force calculation in this model is based on the force needed to induce yielding of the individual disk asperities contacting the flat surface of the contact pad without any assumption of the coefficient of friction. Good agreement is found between the measured and theoretical friction vs. normal contact force curves, indicating that the model is capturing the essential origins of friction at this interface. The model also provides valuable insights into how wear particles may be generated at this contacting slider–disk interface.     

Lateral force microscopy of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes are usually imaged with the atomic force microscope (AFM) in non-contact mode. However, in many applications, such as mechanical manipulation or elasticity measurements, contact mode is used. The forces affecting the nanotube are then considerable and not fully understood. In this work lateral forces were measured during contact mode imaging with an AFM across a carbon nanotube. We found that, qualitatively, both magnitude and sign of the lateral forces to the AFM tip were independent of scan direction and can be concluded to arise from the tip slipping on the round edges of the nanotube. The dependence on the normal force applied to the tip and on the ratio between nanotube diameter and tip radius was studied. We show that for small values of this ratio, the lateral force signal can be explained with a simple geometrical model.     

A Theory of Liquid-Solid Hydrodynamic Film Lubrication

This investigation was undertaken for tile purpose of extending the design theories for hydrodynamic bearings to include the effects of solid particles in a liquid base lubricant. A set of nonlinear, coupled partial differential equations is developed to include the effects of the solid particles. Solutions of the mathematical model by numerical analysis are compared to the results obtained in actual bearing tests with a universal bearing test machine. Increased friction from the solids is shown to be limited to a certain range of operation such that at Sommerfeld numbers above or below this range there is only a slight increase in the friction above that obtained with the liquid alone. Good agreement between the theoretical solutions and experimental values was obtained by using experimentally determined particle shear strengths.     

Pin-on-disc study of the effects of railway friction modifiers on airborne wear particles from wheel–rail contacts

Knowledge of wheel–rail interaction is crucial to wheel and rail maintenance. In this interaction, some of the worn-off material is transformed into airborne particles. Although such wear is well understood, few studies treat the particles generated. We investigated friction modifiers' effects on airborne particle characteristics generated in wheel–rail contacts in laboratory conditions. Pin-on-disc machine testing with a round-head pin loaded by a dead weight load 40 N simulated maximum contact pressure over 550 MPa. Airborne particle characteristics were investigated in dry contacts and in ones lubricated with biodegradable rail grease and water- and oil-based friction modifiers. The number of particles declined with the grease; the number of ultrafine particles increased with the water-based friction modifier, mainly due to water vaporization.     

Sliding and rolling of individual micrometre sized glass particles on rough silicon surfaces

Abstract

Access to the tribological contact behaviour of individual small particles is crucial with respect to many applications in particle technology. In this paper, we present a simple nanoindentation based approach to study the rolling friction of micrometre sized spherical particles. The results are compared to sliding friction tests, which are carried out by a nanoindentation based colloid probe technique. The potential of the approach is evaluated for borosilicate glass spheres featuring nominal radii of 2·5 and 10 μm in contact with silicon surfaces. The roughness of the latter is modified by a plasma etching process. Significant differences of sliding and rolling friction with respect to roughness are observed even though the variation of root mean square roughness only ranges from 0·3 to 2·7 nm respectively.     

Gradation of oxidational wear of metals

This paper considers mild-oxidational wear of metals by studying their behavior under friction with different loads. Low carbon, steel and copper are chosen as the model materials. We show that tribo-oxidation and the structure of surface layers of materials, both formed in the process of plastic deformation during friction, provide the boundary conditions of mild and severe wear. Oxidational wear is predominant when structural changes are minimal. As the load increases, oxidational wear is at first accompanied by metallic wear and afterwards the oxidational wear accompanies the metallic wear. The structure of the metal surface layers changes gradually during these processes, so that the strengthening of the metal is high enough to withstand friction forces. When the magnitude of frictional forces becomes higher than the maximal strength of the plastically deformed metal, the transition to severe wear occurs.The composition of different types of oxides and the fineness of wear particles varies with the friction conditions. Under light load friction conditions, fine wear particles are formed. These particles contain oxides of high oxygen content. As the friction conditions become tougher, in particular when the load increases, large-sized wear particles are formed. These particles contain oxides of a higher metal content. Phase composition and fineness of wear particles are used for gradation of mild wear.Analyses of phase composition of oxides and estimation of the fineness of wear particles are suggested as a method of wear character diagnostics. The electron diffraction method of the study of wear particles is used for this analysis in order to evaluate and choose appropriate friction and wear conditions.     

磨粒微观滑动接触过程热效应的有限元分析

利用ANSYS有限元软件分析了磨粒与被磨损材料表面滑动接触过程中,在摩擦热和力场的耦合作用下,接触区表现出的局部温度变化、应力变化等特性。结果表明,在磨粒滑移过程中,磨粒相当于接受固定热源作用,接触区温度逐渐上升,温度存在起伏波动现象,瞬现温升最高点在磨粒接触区两侧,反映出接触状态的不连续性,接触区状态的非稳定性;被磨材料表面的各点在进入接触前、经历接触时、脱离接触时,接触区温度存在先升高再下降的变化过程,同时,接触区的应力、剪应力、接触压力也发生变化。磨粒滑动过程的热效应问题研究将有助于揭示接触过程中材料表面损伤机制。