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This content will become publicly available on December 21, 2025

Title: Inhomogeneous Nanoscale Conductivity and Friction on Graphite Terraces Explored via Atomic Force Microscopy
The interplay of conductivity and friction in layered materials such as graphite is an open area of investigation. Here, we measure local conductivity and friction on terraces of freshly cleaved highly oriented pyrolytic graphite via atomic force microscopy under ambient conditions. The graphite surface is found to exhibit a rich electrical landscape, with different terraces exhibiting different levels of conductivity. A peculiar dependency of conductivity on scan direction is observed on some terraces. The terraces that exhibit this dependency are also found to show enhanced friction values. A hypothesis based on tip asymmetry and the puckering effect is proposed to explain the findings. Our results highlight the non-triviality of the electrical and tribological properties of graphite on the nanoscale, as well as their interplay.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2131976
PAR ID:
10566848
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
MDPI
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Lubricants
Volume:
12
Issue:
12
ISSN:
2075-4442
Page Range / eLocation ID:
462
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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