Friction force studies on layered materials using an Atomic Force Microscope

Hubert Klein (1) , D. Pailharey (1) , Y. Mathey (2)

1 CINaM - Centre Interdisciplinaire de Nanoscience de Marseille
2 GPEC - Groupe de Physique des Etats Condensés

We have studied friction force versus normal load on the nanometer scale on three layered materials which are expected to exhibit different mechanical properties: 2H-MoS2, 2H-NbS%, ~-MoO3. Different behaviours have been observed, such as plastic deformation and local wear. Under well-defined conditions there exists an analogy between nanoscopic experimental results and macroscopic friction results predicted by models (Amontons' law for instance). It is then possible to extract mean values of the friction coefficient on the nanometer scale. We are interested in friction measurements under atmospheric conditions which correspond to real sliding conditions. The influence of parameters such as surface pollution and scan speed appears to be determinant for the reliability of the results.

Keywords: Atomic force microscopy; Friction; Single crystal surfaces; Tribology

Domains: Physics [physics]; Condensed Matter [cond-mat]; Materials Science [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Hubert Klein, D. Pailharey, Y. Mathey. Friction force studies on layered materials using an Atomic Force Microscope. Surface Science : A Journal Devoted to the Physics and Chemistry of Interfaces, 1997, 387 (1-3), pp.227-235. ⟨10.1016/S0039-6028(97)00358-0⟩. ⟨hal-01770306⟩