Final Report Summary - UFO (Uncovering the origins of friction)
Nanotechnology is a new frontier in research and new tools must be developed. As surface to volume ratios become large, engineering at the nanoscale is dominated by surface science. The study of Contact Mechanics at nanoscales –nanotribology- needs to fully account for adhesive forces, third-body interactions and deformation mechanisms at contacting asperities. Understanding these factors as well as the morphological evolution of contact clusters has the potential of explaining the origins of frictional forces and wear. This will guide us in the design of tailored-made lubricants and surface morphologies, which, in turn, will help reduce the high societal cost of wear damage.
The ERCstg project, UFO’s, has helped establish a world-leading group in Contact Mechanics at length scales ranging from the atomic to macroscopic scales. We have developed methods coupling molecular dynamics (MD), for an accurate description of atomic interactions at the contact surface, to the finite-element (FE) method to account for long-range elastic forces. This interdisciplinary project at the frontier between Mechanics, Material Science and Computer Science led to the release of an open, 3D parallel, FE/MD platform dedicated to contact applications. The research has explored the origins of friction, a scientific quest of fundamental importance to many industrial applications, as well as created a stable base for sharing scientific-computing resources.
The ERCstg project, UFO’s, has helped establish a world-leading group in Contact Mechanics at length scales ranging from the atomic to macroscopic scales. We have developed methods coupling molecular dynamics (MD), for an accurate description of atomic interactions at the contact surface, to the finite-element (FE) method to account for long-range elastic forces. This interdisciplinary project at the frontier between Mechanics, Material Science and Computer Science led to the release of an open, 3D parallel, FE/MD platform dedicated to contact applications. The research has explored the origins of friction, a scientific quest of fundamental importance to many industrial applications, as well as created a stable base for sharing scientific-computing resources.