Tribology at Small Scales

Abstract

The design of tribological interfaces is often motivated by a quest to minimize friction and wear. Many of the most important advances of recent years come from new techniques capable of characterization at small scales and even at the level of individual molecules. This talk will tests of the Stokes-Einstein equation in molecularly-thin films, of modifying the boundary conditions of fluid flow, from stick to slip, and of extending tribology research to the prominent two-dimensional fluids known as phospholipid bilayers. The issues discussed in this talk point the way to possible new strategies for energy-saving during fluid transport and have relevance to filtration, colloidal dynamics, and microfluidic devices.