Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers
High-conductivity sliding electrical contact with low friction plays a significant role in the long life and high reliability of electromechanical systems. Reducing friction needs weak interfacial electronic coupling; in contrast, enhancing conductivity requires strong coupling; thus it is a serious...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tsinghua University Press
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Friction |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9440989 |
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| _version_ | 1849432855507107840 |
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| author | Yanmin Liu Dong Wang Ke Zhang Haijun Wu Guoqing Yu Qiang Zhang Yuanzi Zhou Tianbao Ma Aisheng Song |
| author_facet | Yanmin Liu Dong Wang Ke Zhang Haijun Wu Guoqing Yu Qiang Zhang Yuanzi Zhou Tianbao Ma Aisheng Song |
| author_sort | Yanmin Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | High-conductivity sliding electrical contact with low friction plays a significant role in the long life and high reliability of electromechanical systems. Reducing friction needs weak interfacial electronic coupling; in contrast, enhancing conductivity requires strong coupling; thus it is a serious challenge to achieve high conductivity with low friction. Here, using our self-developed thermally assisted mechanical exfoliation and transfer (TAMET) method, we experimentally achieved superlubricating electrical contact by establishing a sliding electrical system between graphite layers (Gr); the friction coefficient was as low as 0.0004, and the electric current density was as high as 510 A/cm2. Compared with the commercial Ir atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip–Gr contact, the friction force of incommensurate graphene layer friction is an order of magnitude lower, yet it has a similar high electrical conductivity. On the basis of the electronic property fluctuation (EPF) model and first principles calculations, we revealed that the sliding energy barrier remains almost unchanged under an applied current because of the negligible electron transfer variation during the sliding process. We offer a method for achieving superlubricating electrical contact with high conductivity and low friction, shedding light on improving the service life and reliability of sliding electrical contacts in a wide range of electromechanical systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3148ed2fb38844cd93a253c9ba35683f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2223-7690 2223-7704 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Tsinghua University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Friction |
| spelling | doaj-art-3148ed2fb38844cd93a253c9ba35683f2025-08-20T03:27:15ZengTsinghua University PressFriction2223-76902223-77042025-07-01137944098910.26599/FRICT.2025.9440989Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layersYanmin Liu0Dong Wang1Ke Zhang2Haijun Wu3Guoqing Yu4Qiang Zhang5Yuanzi Zhou6Tianbao Ma7Aisheng Song8Beijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100094, ChinaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100094, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100094, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100094, ChinaBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, Beijing 100094, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, ChinaHigh-conductivity sliding electrical contact with low friction plays a significant role in the long life and high reliability of electromechanical systems. Reducing friction needs weak interfacial electronic coupling; in contrast, enhancing conductivity requires strong coupling; thus it is a serious challenge to achieve high conductivity with low friction. Here, using our self-developed thermally assisted mechanical exfoliation and transfer (TAMET) method, we experimentally achieved superlubricating electrical contact by establishing a sliding electrical system between graphite layers (Gr); the friction coefficient was as low as 0.0004, and the electric current density was as high as 510 A/cm2. Compared with the commercial Ir atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip–Gr contact, the friction force of incommensurate graphene layer friction is an order of magnitude lower, yet it has a similar high electrical conductivity. On the basis of the electronic property fluctuation (EPF) model and first principles calculations, we revealed that the sliding energy barrier remains almost unchanged under an applied current because of the negligible electron transfer variation during the sliding process. We offer a method for achieving superlubricating electrical contact with high conductivity and low friction, shedding light on improving the service life and reliability of sliding electrical contacts in a wide range of electromechanical systems.https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9440989superlubricityelectrical contactcurrent-carrying frictiongraphite |
| spellingShingle | Yanmin Liu Dong Wang Ke Zhang Haijun Wu Guoqing Yu Qiang Zhang Yuanzi Zhou Tianbao Ma Aisheng Song Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers Friction superlubricity electrical contact current-carrying friction graphite |
| title | Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers |
| title_full | Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers |
| title_fullStr | Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers |
| title_short | Superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers |
| title_sort | superlubricating electrical contact between graphite layers |
| topic | superlubricity electrical contact current-carrying friction graphite |
| url | https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FRICT.2025.9440989 |
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