Wear at the Nanoscale (IMAGE)

University of Pennsylvania

Wear at the Nanoscale

Caption

This is an illustration of a silicon atomic force microscope tip sliding over the surface of a diamond punch. While in contact, silicon atoms from the tip bond with the carbon atoms of the diamond and are left behind as the tip slides on. Penn researchers conducted the wear experiment in a transmission electron microscope to observe this "atomic attrition" in action. A TEM image of the tip is inset.

Credit

Felice Macera

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