Friction occurs through a complex set of processes that act together to resist relative motion. However, despite this complexity, friction is typically described using a simple phenomenological expression that relates normal and lateral forces via a coefficient, the friction coefficient. This one parameter encompasses multiple, sometimes competing, effects. To better understand the origins of friction, here, we study a chemically and topographically well-defined interface between silica and graphite with a single-layer graphene step edge. We identify the separate contributions of physical and chemical processes to friction and show that a single friction coefficient can be separated into two terms corresponding to these effects. The findings provide insight into the chemical and topographic origins of friction and suggest means of tuning surfaces by leveraging competing frictional processes.

Shear-driven chemical reaction mechanisms are poorly understood because the relevant reactions are often hidden between two solid surfaces moving in relative motion. Here, this phenomenon is explored by characterizing shear-induced polymerization reactions that occur during vapor phase lubrication of α-pinene between sliding hydroxylated and dehydroxylated silica surfaces, complemented by reactive molecular dynamics simulations. The results suggest that oxidative chemisorption of the α-pinene molecules at reactive surface sites, which transfers oxygen atoms from the surface to the adsorbate molecule, is the critical activation step. Such activation takes place more readily on the dehydroxylated surface. During this activation, the most strained part of the α-pinene molecules undergoes a partial distortion from its equilibrium geometry, which appears to be related to the critical activation volume for mechanical activation. Once α-pinene molecules are activated, association reactions occur between the newly attached oxygen and one of the carbon atoms in another molecule, forming ether bonds. These findings have general implications for mechanochemistry since they reveal that shear-driven reactions may occur through reaction pathways very different from their thermally induced counterparts and, specifically, the critical role of molecular distortion in such reactions.

Parallel reactive molecular dynamics simulations were used to statistically analyze chemical reactions between tri-cresyl phosphate (TCP) and an amorphous iron oxide surface. To accurately model this system, a new parameter set for Fe/P/O interactions within the ReaxFF framework was developed. Using the new parameter set, 100 parallel simulations of a single TCP molecule on an amorphous iron oxide surface were run to capture multiple possible reactions at temperatures ranging from 300 to 700 K. The frequency of TCPsurface reactions for each atom type and each unique reaction site on the TCP was analyzed across the range of temperatures. Finally, the composition of the material chemisorbed to the surface was determined and compared to results from previously reported experimental measurements of TCP films in oxygen deficient environments. The results are specifically relevant to TCP, but the parallel reactive simulation approach and statistical analysis of reaction sites can be applied more generally to a range of chemical systems, particularly those involving complex molecules and disordered surfaces where many different reactions are possible.

Phosphate esters have a wide range of industrial applications, for example in tribology where they are used as vapour phase lubricants and antiwear additives. An atomic-level understanding of phosphate ester tribofilm formation mechanisms is required to improve their tribological performance. A process of particular interest is the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters on steel surfaces, since this initiates polyphosphate film formation. In this study, reactive force field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to study the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters with different substituents on several ferrous surfaces. The ReaxFF parameterisation was validated for a representative system using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. During the MD simulations on Fe3O4(001) and α-Fe(110), chemisorption interactions between the phosphate esters and the surfaces occur even at room temperature, and the number of molecule-surface bonds increases as the temperature increases from 300 to 1000 K. Conversely, on hydroxylated, amorphous Fe3O4, most of the molecules are physisorbed and some desorption occurs at high temperature. Thermal decomposition rates were much higher on Fe3O4(001) and particularly α-Fe(110) compared to hydroxylated, amorphous Fe3O4. This suggests that water passivates ferrous surfaces and inhibits phosphate ester chemisorption, decomposition, and ultimately polyphosphate film formation. For the alkyl phosphates, thermal decomposition proceeds mainly through CO and C-H cleavage on Fe3O4(001). Aryl phosphates show much higher thermal stability, and decomposition on Fe3O4(001) only occurs through P-O and C-H cleavage, which require very high temperature. The onset temperature for CO cleavage on Fe3O4(001) increases as: tertiary alkyl < secondary alkyl < primary linear alkyl ≈ primary branched alkyl < aryl. This order is consistent with experimental observations for the thermal stability of antiwear additives with similar substituents. The simulation results clarify a range of surface and substituent effects on the thermal decomposition of phosphate esters on steel that should be helpful for the design of new molecules with improved tribological performance.

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