Origin of the isotope effect on solid friction

Yifei Mo, Martin H. Müser, and Izabela Szlufarska
Phys. Rev. B 80, 155438 – Published 19 October 2009

Abstract

Friction of hydrogen-passivated surfaces can be reduced by replacing terminating hydrogen atoms with heavier deuteriums. Using molecular-dynamics simulations, we show that this experimentally observed isotope effect can be explained quantitatively by small differences in surface coverage, which are due to isotope-dependent bond stabilities. We also demonstrate that a change in vibrational frequencies alone does not account for an isotope-dependent solid friction in our model system.

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  • Received 19 June 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.155438

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Yifei Mo1, Martin H. Müser2, and Izabela Szlufarska1

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
  • 2Universität des Saarlandes, Materialgerechtes Design und Werkstoffinformatik, Campus, Geb. C6.3, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany

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Vol. 80, Iss. 15 — 15 October 2009

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