Articles tagged with Friction
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Researchers at University of Kansas developed a new formula to predict ice flow in Greenland and Antarctica glaciers that reduces uncertainty in future sea-level rise predictions. The study found subglacial water pressure controls the speed of ice flow, rather than basal friction.
Researchers at Drexel University have found that snake skin's unique texture and micro-structure create a distinct friction profile, which can be used to inform the design of textured surfaces. By studying over 350 species of snakes, they have developed a framework for creating 'smart surfaces' with new frictional capabilities.
A team of researchers has discovered that the friction on ice is driven by the high mobility of water molecules at the surface, not by a thin layer of liquid water. The study found that as temperature increases, the mobility of these molecules also rises, resulting in lower friction.
The study shows that using rough particles can significantly reduce the amount of material needed to achieve sudden solidification in suspensions. This could lead to improved cement flow characteristics and potential applications in everyday materials like bullet-proof vests.
Researchers have uncovered behavior in ultracold atoms that resembles the universe in microcosm, with potential implications for cosmology and the early universe's rapid expansion. The study reveals analogies to Hubble friction and provides new insights into energy conversion during inflation.
A novel process called Friction Stir Dovetailing joins thicker aluminum alloys to steel, creating joints of superior strength and ductility. The technique inhibits intermetallic compound overgrowth, allowing for improved fuel efficiency and operational effectiveness in military combat vehicles.
Researchers at Hokkaido University discovered a new mechanism explaining stochastic resonance, where noise boosts signal detection in noisy environments. This finding has significant implications for engineering devices and addressing noise issues in various fields.
A team of physicists from Konstanz and Italy successfully suppressed static friction between two surfaces using a colloidal monolayer. This allows for the use of extremely small forces to move objects, greatly improving efficiency in micro- and nanomechanical systems.
Researchers developed a new theoretical model to explain the friction of liquid droplets on micro-structured surfaces. The study found that micro-hole surfaces exhibit higher friction than micro-pillar surfaces under the same solid fraction.
A triboelectric nanogenerator tab can generate electricity from bending a finger and other simple movements, promising a new source of portable power. The UB and CAS team has developed a cost-effective and easily fabricable device that could serve as a power source for various wearable and self-powered electronic devices.
Physicists at Aalto University found friction in superfluid helium-3 isotopes despite being in laminar motion at zero temperature. The discovery could help understand turbulence in classical fluids and improve aerodynamics, as well as contribute to studying neutron stars.
Researchers at OIST have discovered a simple solution to the mystery of transitional flow, a phenomenon that has puzzled engineers for over 130 years. By analyzing individual patches of smooth and chaotic flow, they found that the law of resistance can be applied using Reynolds's original laws.
Scientists at KIT create friction-optimized metal alloys using a unique approach that combines friction experiments with non-destructive testing methods, data science algorithms, and high-resolution electron microscopy. The goal is to develop materials with tailored friction and wear behavior, which could lead to significant energy sav...
Researchers at Kyushu University have identified a strong influence of pre-existing faults on earthquake location and behavior in the Nankai Trough offshore Japan. The study found that aftershocks only occurred in front of an ancient accretionary prism, where stress accumulation is greatest.
The study confirms Einstein's theoretical analysis of Brownian motion by observing the Kramers turnover in levitated nanoparticles. The researchers found that the transition rate between states depends on friction and grows with decreasing friction before decreasing again at low friction levels.
A new study from North Carolina State University, MIT, and the University of Michigan found that surface texture of microparticles can cause internal friction altering suspension viscosity. This finding helps address issues with pumping suspensions in industries.
Researchers used high-resolution imaging to monitor finger contact formation with glass and rubber surfaces. Contact area and friction coefficient increased over time, with soft surfaces forming contacts faster due to non-hydration limits.
Researchers have found a superlubricity in graphene, where friction vanishes, and hexagonal boron nitride layers are as strong as diamond but more flexible. The unique qualities of these materials could be used to create scratch-proof paint for cars and flexible smart devices.
Researchers at Caltech simulated earthquakes in a lab to measure dynamic friction and its impact on seismic events. They found that slip velocity is the key factor in dynamic friction, contradicting previous assumptions.
Scientists from PTB create a model system using laser-cooled ytterbium ions to study friction phenomena at the atomic scale. They observe transitions between phases caused by structural defects, revealing dynamics comparable to DNA molecule chains.
Researchers have solved the equation describing solid friction on granular materials for an arbitrary number of dimensions. Their results are in excellent agreement with numerical solutions in 2 and 3 dimensions, making the model applicable to various industries such as construction and pharmaceuticals.
Researchers have identified a key reason why super hydrophobic surfaces are unreliable: tiny trace amounts of surfactants can cause an imbalance in water flow, resulting in increased drag. The scientists propose changing the patterning of SHS to accumulate surfactant buildup farther down the interface, reducing drag.
Researchers have developed a double-sided adhesive that can stick and unstick to surfaces in wet conditions, inspired by geckos' ability to attach and release their feet. This material could enable underwater robotics, sensors, and other bionic devices with improved friction and adhesion levels.
A skin model made from gelatine can simulate human skin's characteristics and frictional behavior against textiles in dry and hydrated conditions. This allows for early rejection of unsuitable textiles without exposing humans to risk, saving time and resources.
Researchers developed a model to predict the limits of friction behavior in metals based on materials properties. The discovery has significant implications for industries such as wind turbines and electric vehicles, enabling engineers to design and optimize materials for better performance.
Researchers found that friction between moving tissues generates force that shapes the nervous system of zebrafish embryos. This force is a key mechanism for regulating morphogenesis during embryo development. The study's findings indicate a previously unrecognized mechanism underlying birth defects in humans.
Scientists studied ageing phenomenon at nanoscale, finding that friction force doubles with time and load increase. This discovery supports fundamental theory describing ageing mechanism, shedding light on fault stability and earthquake prediction.
A new study by B. Ubbo Felderhof reveals that even when thrust and drag average out over a period, periodic shape deformations can lead to net motion in microorganisms and animals, improving upon popular explanations of swimming and flying mechanisms. The research provides an important conceptual clarification of flow theory and has po...
A new approach by researchers at MIT offers a way to make movable parts with no solid connections between the pieces, potentially eliminating wear and failure. The system uses a layer of liquid droplets to support a tiny, movable platform, which can be controlled electrically.
Friction on graphene increases with continued sliding and is higher than in multi-layered graphene or graphite. Scientists attribute this to evolving contact quality and real contact area.
Using computer simulations, researchers at MIT and others have made significant strides in understanding the way graphene behaves when something slides along its surface. The findings reveal that the quality of contact between two surfaces is more important than the true contact area in explaining a material's frictional behavior.
Researchers at Georgia Tech developed a surface treatment method that significantly reduces friction without special oil additives. The technique involves blasting metal surfaces with copper sulfide and aluminum oxide, leading to ultra-low friction coefficients.
University of Southern California researchers discovered the 'elastic-inertial régime', a transition zone between two regimes where friction increases with shear rate. This finding has significant implications for industries handling granular materials, which are often used in mining and pharmaceuticals.
Atmospheric pressures of hundreds can be endured by a nanometer-thin layer of water exhibiting ice-like properties. This discovery could lead to improved designs in biomedical implants and antimicrobial coatings.
Researchers at Lehigh University, Michelin Corporation, and NSF are developing materials with surface architectures that could enhance the safety and reliability of tires. By mimicking the smooth pad surfaces found on the feet of grasshoppers or frogs, they aim to improve sliding friction while minimizing rolling resistance.
Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have discovered a self-healing diamond-like carbon film generated by an automotive engine's heat and pressure. The tribofilm reduces friction by 25-40% and wear to unmeasurable values, enabling more efficient and reliable engines.
Haptics researchers at Northwestern University have discovered that ultrasonic vibrations cause fingers to bounce on touchscreens, reducing friction. This phenomenon is caused by the air trapped between the finger and screen compressing and acting like a spring, allowing the finger to fall onto a cushion of air instead of the screen.
Researchers at UNIST are developing a new form of futuristic transportation using the Hyperloop technology, which could reduce travel times from Seoul to Busan to just 16 minutes. The team aims to overcome challenges such as air resistance and friction by using magnetic levitation and innovative power supply systems.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have developed a graphene-nanodiamond lubricant that reduces friction to nearly zero, allowing for increased efficiency and reduced wear in industries such as wind turbines and computer hard disks. The technology has shown promise in reducing friction by six times and wear by ten thousand time...
Theoretical chemists at Princeton University developed operational dynamic modeling (ODM), a new approach to model quantum friction, which satisfies both the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle and produces real observations. This breakthrough opens a way forward to understand not only quantum friction but also other dissipative phenomena.
Researchers used a sophisticated computer model to show that vibrations generated by large slides can cause tons of rock to flow like a fluid, enabling it to rumble across vast distances. The study found that the vibrational waves reduce the effect of friction acting on the slide, enabling it to travel further than smaller slides.
A new robot, CRAM, has been developed using the inspiration of American cockroaches' ability to penetrate tight joints and seams. The robot can rapidly squeeze through cracks, even when flattened, and withstand forces up to 900 times its body weight without injury.
Researchers at Northwestern University discovered crumpled graphene balls as a promising lubricant additive that outperforms some commercial lubricants in reducing friction and wear on steel surfaces. The additive is self-dispersing without surfactants and has high performance sensitivity to concentration, making it more stable.
A new theory explains how ice becomes slippery when a hard material slides across it, improving ski design and understanding glacier movement. The study uses experimental data to connect temperature and sliding speed to friction on ice.
Turbulence plays a crucial role in nature and technology, influencing pollutant spread and fuel efficiency. A new study reveals how fully turbulent flows arise in pipe and square duct flows, with potential benefits for oil pipelines and combustion motors.
Engineers at the University of Sheffield are working with the ITF to create a handheld device that measures friction on tennis courts. This will enable professional players to understand and adjust their sliding movements, giving them an edge over their opponents.
Researchers from KIT developed a process to transfer scale structure of reptiles to components of electromechanical systems. The results show that narrow scale structures increase friction under both lubricated and non-lubricated conditions, while wide scales reduce friction by more than 40%.
Researchers have developed a surface texture inspired by snake skin that reduces friction by 40% in tests of high-performance materials. The discovery has significant implications for the reliability of mechanical components in machines such as cars and robots, particularly in dusty environments.
Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a nanogenerator that converts wasted friction energy into electricity, potentially increasing gas mileage by up to 10%. The device uses the triboelectric effect to harness energy from tire friction, providing an innovative way to reuse energy and reduce waste.
Researchers investigated nano-islands on a copper surface, finding that as islands grow, they transition from superlubricity to high friction; this phenomenon could lead to innovative nanobearing applications.
Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory have found a way to create a material combination that demonstrates superlubricity, a highly-desirable property in which friction drops to near zero. The team used graphene and diamond nanoparticles to create a nanoscale phenomenon, but found that humidity inhibited the effect.
Researchers create system to manipulate atom spacing, tuning friction to a vanishing point, allowing for direct observation of individual atoms. This technique enables control over superlubricity, potentially boosting development of nanomachines, and has implications for controlling biological components.
The National Science Foundation has funded a project to develop ultralow-wear composite materials for industrial applications, with the goal of reducing friction and wear costs. The research will explore material structures, composition, processing, and operating conditions to improve tribological performance.
Ze'ev Reches and collaborators study earthquake instability and fault weakening mechanisms using electron microscopy. They find phase transformation and nano-size grains are associated with profound weakening, resolving two major conflicts in laboratory results and natural faulting.
Researchers have discovered that rubber friction on asphalt is influenced by the deformation of molecules when pushed against rough road surfaces, as well as shearing movement. This finding could lead to more efficient tire materials and manufacturing processes.
Researchers found that external noises can induce volcanic activity by inducing stick-slip behavior, causing large-amplitude oscillations and high seismicity. The study used experimental data from Mount St. Helen's eruption to demonstrate the link between noise intensity and drumbeat-type plug movement.
By speeding up real atomic force microscope experiments and slowing down simulations, researchers matched the sliding speeds, resolving a major problem in studying atomic-scale friction. This breakthrough enables the study of stick-slip friction at overlapping speeds, allowing for more accurate measurements.
A University of Washington seismologist studied tidal forces on the Cascadia fault and found friction is much lower than previously thought, similar to Teflon. This discovery could improve understanding of when and how faults break, potentially leading to better modeling and prediction of slow-slip quakes and earthquakes.
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a nano-coated mesh that repels oil but allows water to pass through. The mesh has potential applications in cleaning oil spills and tracking oil deposits underground.
Engineers from Penn and ExxonMobil have uncovered the molecular mechanisms behind a common anti-wear additive used in motor oil. The study reveals that the additive forms a 'tribofilm' through stress-activated growth, providing a cushion effect against wear and tear.