CONTROL OF NANOSCALE FRICTION ON STAINLESS STEEL IN SODIUM DODECYL SULFATE AQUEOUS SOLUTION BY A POTENTIAL-DEPENDENT ADSORPTION BOUNDARY LAYER

摘要

The boundary lubrication property of SDS aqueous solution on stainless steel surfaces can be controlled through the application of electrochemical potential to the sliding contact. The adsorption state of the SDS boundary film was characterized by QCM and cyclic voltammetry. A nanotribology approach was used to investigate the boundary lubrication property of SDS adsorption film on stainless steel surface rubbed by silicon nitride tip using AFM at different applied potentials. The friction coefficient can be adjusted more than 100% by applying the potential, which illustrates the correlation between the adsorption of SDS on stainless steel surface and the boundary lubrication properties. This study shows the potential for tribotronics, where electric potential directly control the lubricating performance in industrial machinery.