Rack-and-pinion effects in molecular rolling friction

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dc.creatorBraun, Oleg M.
dc.creatorTosatti, Erio
dc.date2008-09-05
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T10:01:00Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T10:01:00Z
dc.descriptionRolling lubrication with spherical molecules working as 'nanobearings' has failed experimentally so far, without a full understanding of the physics involved and of the reasons why. Past model simulations and common sense have shown that molecules can only roll when they are not too closely packed to jam. The same type of model simulations now shows in addition that molecular rolling friction can develop deep minima once the molecule's peripheral 'pitch' can match the substrate periodicity, much as ordinary cogwheels do in a rack-and-pinion system. When the pinion-rack matching is bad, the driven molecular rolling becomes discontinuous and noisy, whence energy is dissipated and friction is large. This suggests experiments to be conducted by varying the rack-and-pinion matching. That could be pursued not only by changing molecules and substrates, but also by applying different sliding directions within the same system, or by applying pressure, to change the effective matching.
dc.description5 figures
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/0809.1011
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/0809.1011
dc.identifierPhil. Mag. Lett. 88 (2008) 509
dc.identifierdoi:10.1080/09500830802255642
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/168499
dc.subjectSoft Condensed Matter
dc.titleRack-and-pinion effects in molecular rolling friction
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