428th WE Heraeus Seminar - Physics of Tribology (11 May 2009)

From 23rd to 25 March 2009, 60 leading scientist, a large fraction of them from the FANAS collaboration, met at Physics Center in Bad Honnef to present and discuss the latest developments in Tribology were presented. The topics ranged from atomic-scale friction and molecular dynamics simulations to tribochemistry in lubricated contacts.

The conference was organized by M. Dienwiebel, M. Scherge and P. Gumbsch and was funded by the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation.

From friction reduction to superlubricity (22 March 2009)

Researchers from AFRI and ACOF CRPs have obtained dynamic superlubricity behaviour  when using cantilever oscillations which are induced by a vibrating piezo-element mechanically coupled to the lever.  The reduction of friction has been observed both in conductive and insulating surfaces and  in vacuum and room temperature. Such results  could have an impact  in the extension of the lifetime of micromechanical systems (MEMS) such as computer disk drives.

To know more read the article published by E. Gnecco, A. Soculiuc, S. Maier, J. Glessler, T. Glatzel, A. Baratoff, E. Meyer, Nanotechnology, 20, 2009, 025501

Rotary motors sliding alomg surfaces (9 March 2009)

 FANAS researchers have have studied a family of molecular rotors that may convert light or chemical energy into direct translational motion along surfaces. Simulations show that the rotation-trasnlations coupling could be very effective and the molecules might move by approximately one surface lattice spacing per complete rotation.

This research has just been published by A. E. Filippov, A. Vanossi, M. Urbakh in Phys. Rev. E, 2009, 79, 021108

FANAS researchers discuss about 'In situ tribology' in the latest MRS Bulletin issue (20 January 2008)

Two articles were presented by two FANAS researchers in the latest issue, December 2008, of the MRS Bulletin. The first one entitled ' Fundamental Studies of Nanometer-Scale Wear Mechanisms' from Roland Bennewits from the CRP AFRI. The second article, Cracklike Processes within Frictional Motion: Is Slow Frictional Sliding Really a Slow Process?, from Jay Fineberg from the CRP ACOF.

Contact Mechanics and Friction (6 January 2009)

A new book 'Kontakmechanik und Reibung' (Springer) by Prof. Valentin Popov from the CRP ACOF is now out. Not yet published. Available: January 29, 2009

To order this title and to get more information click here. 

More books on Tribology can be found here