Russian scientists managed to significantly reduce the coefficient of friction between objects

The scientific group working at NRNU MEPhI, together with the Baltic Federal University named after I. Kant, in the course of a series of experiments, it was possible to achieve a significant decrease in the coefficient of friction between objects.

How was this reduction achieved?

In the process of performing the experiments, scientists decided to use a unique material to reduce the coefficient of friction, which was previously developed by the same engineers.

The new material for reducing the coefficient of friction is a layer of substances, the thickness of which can be only a couple of atoms. Scientists have used the so-called compounds of transition metals with sulfur, selenium and tellurium, which are called "chalcogenide metals".

As a result of the use of these substances, scientists managed to achieve significant results, namely, to reduce the coefficient of friction between parts by almost 10 times.

Thus, coatings with a thickness of only 0.5 microns made it possible to achieve a decrease in the coefficient of friction of a steel ball, which produced sliding on a metallized plate without the use of traditional types of lubricants materials.

And as a result of this, a coefficient of friction was demonstrated, which turned out to be less than 0.03 units. At the same time, these figures were shown both under standard room conditions and at an ambient temperature of -100 degrees Celsius.

To understand the level of glide, roughly similar glide parameters are observed for skates that slide on ice.

Prospects for the use of new materials in industry

The new development of scientists can be in demand in almost all industries. And so far we are not talking about full-fledged commercial use of the scientists' development.

But, it is likely that in the near future we will see products in which, as lubricants materials are used, developed by engineers of NRNU MEPhI together with the Baltic Federal University named after I. Kant.

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