Molecular rolling friction: the cogwheel model

TL;DR

This paper introduces a 2D model to study how nanoscale molecules like fullerenes can reduce friction through rolling, identifying conditions where microscopic rolling friction is effective based on substrate-molecule interactions.

Contribution

It presents a novel 2D cogwheel model to analyze nanoscale rolling friction, linking microscopic behavior to substrate-molecule ingraining effects.

Findings

Microscopic rolling friction can be effective under specific conditions.

The molecule behaves as a nanosized cogwheel affecting friction.

The model relates substrate-molecule ingraining to rolling friction effectiveness.

Abstract

With the help of a two-dimensional model we study rolling lubrication by circular (2D fullerenes) molecules for a wide range of parameters. The conditions under which microscopic rolling friction may be effective are identified and related to the relative ingraining between substrate and molecule, the latter behaving as a nanosized cogwheel.