Electric fields tune friction at the nanoscale, paving the way for smart 2D material devices.
image: The electric field can be regarded as a "multifunctional stimulus source", which can dynamically regulate interface charges, lattice configurations, chemical states and vibration dynamics through five core physical mechanisms: electrostatic effect, electrostriction, electron-phonon coupling, electric field-induced redox, and mechanical resonance. Thus, it can precisely alter the energy dissipation path and achieve active and reversible control of the friction coefficient.
Credit: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press
At the nanoscale, the phenomenon of friction poses significant challenges to the reliability and lifespan of advanced devices constructed from two-dimensional materials such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide. Recently, Wang's team published a review titled "Electric-field Manipulation of Nanofriction in 2D Materials" in the "Nano Research" journal. The review states that applying an electric field can provide a powerful and precise solution, transforming the originally passive and harmful friction force into the controllable characteristics of these atomic-scale thin-layer systems.
This review systematically expounds five fundamental mechanisms by which the electric field dynamically regulates frictional force in two-dimensional materials: electrostatic effect, electrostrictive strain, electron-phonon coupling, electric field-induced redox reaction, and mechanical resonance. These mechanisms collectively form a set of multi-field control "toolkit", enabling researchers to precisely control the energy dissipation path of the sliding interface and thereby increase or decrease frictional force as needed.
This advancement marks a significant shift in nanotribology research from passive observation to active control. For the next-generation applications of two-dimensional materials such as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), and ultra-thin transistors, uncontrolled friction often leads to parasitic heat, wear, and early device failure. The proposed electric field control strategy can directly incorporate the friction control mechanism into the electrical operation of the device, thereby enhancing performance, reducing energy consumption and extending the service life.
The future development of this field will go beyond the control mode of a single mechanism and shift towards exploring the synergistic coupling among electricity, magnetism, light and mechanical excitation, in order to achieve more efficient, rapid and complex friction regulation. The ultimate goal is to establish a bridge from the atomic-scale mechanism to the reliable performance of macroscopic devices, laying the foundation for designing intelligent and self-regulating two-dimensional material systems.
The potential application scope is extensive, including ultra-low power consumption friction switches, highly durable nano-electronic contacts, and intelligent lubrication systems in micro-machines, etc. The research in this field provides a framework for constructing new-generation two-dimensional material devices with precisely controllable friction characteristics, and points out the direction for achieving higher reliability, energy efficiency and novel functions.
The authors of the paper include Yuanhao Xu, Lanyue Cui, Weixiang Sun from Shandong University of Science and Technology, and Shuang Li, Daoai Wang from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
DOI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2026.94908406
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.