Superlubricity at Submicron MoS₂ Surface

Abstract

The submicron MoS₂ surface becomes soft, which weakens the atomic bonding at the surface and reduces the friction. We can find superlubricity with a friction force of piconewtons at the nanostructures of a submicron, even though power is not supplied from the outside. The superlubricity described here is a novel type of superlubricity involving surface softening, is easily achievable and very simple, because it uses only nanostructures smaller than a micron.