On the Sensitivity of Nanogripper-Carbon Nanotube Friction to Contact Area

摘要

Despite the large volume of research dedicated to the structure and functioning of nano- electromechanical systems, few researchers have addressed the practical problems involved in their manufacture and manipulation. This paper investigates the friction phenomenon in Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) being grasped/manipulated by a nanogripper. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to model the combination of friction and molecular adhesion that governs the mechanical behavior of a CNT when subjected to various loads from the gripper. It is shown that for a certain gripping force, friction between the CNT and the gripper is nonlinearly proportional to the contact area up to a certain value, and remains unchanged afterwards. This is contrary to the common belief that any amount of friction force required for detaching/relocating of CNTs could be achieved by increasing the gripping force. The implications of this finding could affect the way nanogrippers are designed for the construction/manipulation of nanoparticles. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2017.81]