Observation of normal-force-independent superlubricity in mesoscopic graphite contacts
Observation of normal-force-independent superlubricity in mesoscopic graphite contacts
We investigate the dependence of friction forces on normal load in incommensurate micrometer size contacts between atomically smooth single-crystal graphite surfaces under ambient conditions. Our experimental results show that these contacts exhibit superlubricity (super-low friction), which is robust against the application of normal load. The measured friction coefficients are essentially …