Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 096101 (2004) [4 pages]Superlubricity: A Paradox about Confined Fluids ResolvedReceived 16 April 2004; published 27 August 2004 Using the method of Frantz and Salmeron to cleave mica [ Tribol. Lett. 5 151 (1998)] we investigate alkane fluids in a surface forces apparatus and confirm several predictions of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. An oscillatory force-distance profile is observed for the methyl-branched alkane, squalane. Boundary slip is inferred from the frictional sliding of molecularly thin fluids and also from the hydrodynamic flow of thicker films. These findings resolve the paradox that prior experiments disagreed with these aspects of MD predictions, and demonstrate that exceptionally low energy dissipation is possible when fluids move past solid surfaces that are sufficiently smooth. © 2004 The American Physical Society URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.096101
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.096101
PACS:
68.35.Af
See AlsoComment: D. Gourdon and J. Israelachvili, Comment on “Superlubricity: A Paradox about Confined Fluids Resolved”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 099601 (2006). Reply: Janet S. Wong, Sung Chul Bae, Stephen Anthony, Yingxi Zhu, and Steve Granick, Wong et al. Reply:, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 099602 (2006). |
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