Boundary lubrication under water

Wuge H. Briscoe, Simon Titmuss, Fredrik Tiberg, Robert K. Thomas, Duncan J. McGillivray and Jacob Klein ()
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Wuge H. Briscoe: University of Oxford
Simon Titmuss: University of Oxford
Fredrik Tiberg: University of Oxford
Robert K. Thomas: University of Oxford
Duncan J. McGillivray: University of Oxford
Jacob Klein: University of Oxford

Nature, 2006, vol. 444, issue 7116, 191-194

Abstract: New-wave lubricants Classical boundary lubrication is widespread in engineering applications and is also thought to exist in biological systems. It minimizes friction and wear by ensuring that rubbing takes place between the 'boundary' layers of surfactant molecules that coat each surface, rather than between the substrates themselves. Experiments with boundary-lubricant coated sliding surfaces immersed in water now show that friction stress can be reduced by two orders of magnitude or more, relative to its value in dry air. The mechanism may involve the hydration of charged head groups that can then slide easily on the surfaces to which they are attached. This new type of boundary lubrication could be useful for developing better lubricated artificial implants and new medical treatments for joint problems.

Date: 2006
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DOI: 10.1038/nature05196

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