Understanding frictional duality and bi-duality: Sb-nanoparticles on HOPG

Antimony nanoparticles deposited under UHV conditions on HOPG are found to exhibit an intriguing frictional behavior characterized by a distinct clearly separated double dual behavior of dependence of the frictional force on contact area. We present the first realistic simulations, density functional modeling adapted to accommodate van der Waals interactions, of the (double) dual frictional behavior. The simulations provide insights into the physics/chemistry of all the frictional branches in terms of incommensurable interfaces, mobile spacer molecules as well as a novel concept of mobile oxidized multi-nanoasperities.