Superlubricity of Graphene/C60/Graphene Interface - Experiment and Simulation

Naruo Sasaki, Noriaki Itamura, Hiroko Asawa, Daisuke Tsuda, Kouji Miura
2012 Tribology Online  
We investigated the nano-scale superlubricity or ultralow friction appeared at the graphene/C 60 /graphene interface, where the (mean) lateral force becomes nearly zero within the atomic resolution of the frictional force microscopy (FFM). The C 60 intercalated graphite film is one of the most successful systems we have developed as the graphene/C 60 /graphene interface, and it exhibits an excellent friction coefficient, μ<0.001. Simulated superlubricity of the graphene/C 60 /graphene interface
more » ... shows the marked anisotropy with a period of the scan direction of 60°, which reflects the symmetry of the six-membered rings of the C 60 molecule and graphene sheet. The physical origins of the maximum peak and near-zero minimum are numerically clarified. Controlling supelubricity of the graphene/C 60 /graphene interface will contribute to solving the energy and environmental problems.
doi:10.2474/trol.7.96 fatcat:novbdjkgv5gbjgmn3hccyuuhti