Supramolecular repair of hydration lubrication surfaces

Summary Although advances in coating technologies have allowed us to match—or even exceed—the lubricity of Nature's low-friction surfaces, the performance synthetic materials inevitably diminishes over time as surfaces are worn and damaged by irreversible breakage covalent bonds. Synthetic systems lack bespoke repair mechanisms that replenish hydration lubrication Nature. Here, we demonstrate dynamic prepared through a surface-selective self-assembly strategy. Monolayers lubricating polymers associate with functionalized strong specific host–guest interactions, leading low coefficients friction (0.024–0.028). Following friction-induced dissociation polymers, polymer-to-surface interaction is restored reformation complexes, thus repairing monolayer, renewing lubricity, reducing effects wear. Such dynamically will be an essential tool decreasing global energy use—a fifth which expended overcoming friction.