Atomistic mechanisms for frictional energy dissipation during continuous sliding

Abstract After more than a century of detailed investigations into sliding friction, we have not arrived yet at basic understanding energy dissipation, even for the simple geometry rigid slider moving over perfectly periodic counter surface. In this article, use first-principles-based analysis to establish atomistic mechanisms frictional dissipation object that moves continuously in surface potential landscape solid with vibrational degrees freedom. We identify two can be viewed as (i) continuous pumping resonant modes, if these exist, and (ii) destructive interference force contributions introduced by all excited phonon modes. These act already purely dynamic system includes independent, non-interacting they manifest irreversibility kind “dynamical stochastization”. contrast wide-spread views, show transformation mechanical heat, always takes place real systems due coupling between play only minor role appearance any. This insight microscopic opens new, direct way towards true control friction.