Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microtubule Instability02:17

Microtubule Instability

6.1K
Microtubules are hollow cylindrical filaments having a diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length that varies from 200 nm to 25 μm. GTP-bound tubulin subunits form αβ-heterodimers for microtubule assembly. These core building blocks interact longitudinally, polymerizing into protofilaments. The protofilaments then interact with one another through lateral bonding forces to form stable cylindrical microtubules. These cylindrical filaments are dynamic as they undergo repeated...
6.1K
Structural Joints: Synovial Joints01:16

Structural Joints: Synovial Joints

6.5K
Synovial joints are the most common type of joint in the body. A key structural characteristic for a synovial joint is the presence of a joint cavity. This fluid-filled space is where the articulating surfaces of the bones contact each other. Also, unlike fibrous or cartilaginous joints, the articulating bone surfaces at a synovial joint are not directly connected to each other with fibrous connective tissue or cartilage. This gives the bones of a synovial joint the ability to move smoothly...
6.5K
Structural Joints: Fibrous Joints01:03

Structural Joints: Fibrous Joints

3.6K
Fibrous joints are a type of joint where the bones are connected by fibrous connective tissue. These joints provide stability and minimal to no movement between the articulating bones. There are three types of fibrous joints.
Suture
All the bones of the skull, except for the mandible, are joined to each other by a fibrous joint called a suture. The fibrous connective tissue found at a suture strongly unites the adjacent skull bones and thus helps to protect the brain and form the face. In...
3.6K
Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints01:17

Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

3.9K
As the name indicates, at a cartilaginous joint, the adjacent bones are united by cartilage, a tough but flexible type of connective tissue. Unlike synovial joints, these types of joints lack a joint cavity and involve bones joined together by either hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage.
There are two types of cartilaginous joints:
Synchondrosis
A synchondrosis ("joined by cartilage") is a cartilaginous joint where bones are connected by hyaline cartilage. Synchondrosis may be temporary...
3.9K
Joints01:26

Joints

35.5K
Joints, also called articulations or articular surfaces, are points at which ligaments or other tissues connect adjacent bones. Joints permit movement and stability, and can be classified based on their structure or function.
Structural joint classifications are based on the material that makes up the joint as well as whether or not the joint contains a space between the bones. Joints are structurally classified as fibrous, cartilaginous, or synovial.
Fibrous Joints Are Immovable
The bones of a...
35.5K
Introduction to Joints00:58

Introduction to Joints

4.7K
The adult human body usually has 206 bones, and except for the hyoid bone in the neck, each bone is connected to at least one other bone. Joints are the location where bones come together. Many joints allow for movement between the bones. At these joints, the articulating surfaces of the adjacent bones can move smoothly against each other. However, the bones of other joints may be joined by connective tissue or cartilage. These joints are designed for stability and provide little or no...
4.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mechanochemistry at Nanoscale Metallic Contacts: How Stress and Voltage Drive Tribopolymerization.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2025
Same author

High-Throughput Formation of 3D van der Waals Auto-Kirigami.

Nano letters·2025
Same author

Manipulation and Characterization of Submillimeter Shearing Contacts in Graphite by the Micro-Dome Technique.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2023
Same author

Anisotropic Fracture of Graphene Revealed by Surface Steps on Graphite.

Physical review letters·2022
Same author

Origin of Friction in Superlubric Graphite Contacts.

Physical review letters·2020
Same author

Characterization of a Microscale Superlubric Graphite Interface.

Physical review letters·2020
Same journal

Erratum: Bacterial Turbulence at Compressible Fluid Interfaces [Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 138301 (2026)].

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Unveiling Light-Quark Yukawa Flavor Structure via Dihadron Fragmentation at Lepton Colliders.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Adaptable Route to Fast Coherent State Transport via Bang-Bang-Bang Protocols.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Topological Transition and Emergence of Elasticity of Dislocation in Skyrmion Lattice: Beyond Kittel's Magnetic-Polar Analogy.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Pound-Drever-Hall Method for Superconducting-Qubit Readout.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Coupling a ^{73}Ge Nuclear Spin to an Electrostatically Defined Quantum Dot in Silicon.

Physical review letters·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability
06:42

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Published on: March 3, 2017

10.0K

Rotational Instability in Superlubric Joints.

Cangyu Qu1,2, Songlin Shi1,2, Ming Ma2,3,4

  • 1Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.

Physical Review Letters
|July 20, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new mechanical instability in solids, driven by surface energies, was discovered. This phenomenon, linked to structural superlubricity (near-zero friction), offers insights for designing advanced sliding devices.

More Related Videos

A Mouse Model of Ankle-Subtalar Complex Joint Instability
09:14

A Mouse Model of Ankle-Subtalar Complex Joint Instability

Published on: October 28, 2022

1.8K
Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability
07:52

Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability

Published on: September 18, 2020

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability
06:42

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability

Published on: March 3, 2017

10.0K
A Mouse Model of Ankle-Subtalar Complex Joint Instability
09:14

A Mouse Model of Ankle-Subtalar Complex Joint Instability

Published on: October 28, 2022

1.8K
Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability
07:52

Evaluating Postural Control and Lower-extremity Muscle Activation in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability

Published on: September 18, 2020

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Solid-state mechanics
  • Materials science
  • Tribology

Background:

  • Surface and interfacial energies are crucial for instabilities in liquids and soft matter.
  • Their role in solids is less understood, particularly concerning mechanical instabilities.
  • Two-dimensional layered materials present unique properties for studying such phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report and analyze a novel mechanical instability controlled by surface and interfacial energies in solids.
  • To investigate the role of structural superlubricity in this instability.
  • To explore the general applicability of this mechanism in sliding joints.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental observation of flake sliding dynamics using probe contact on a microscale graphite mesa.
  • Theoretical analysis to explain the observed unrotational to rotational motion transition.
  • Investigation of the influence of ultralow friction conditions.

Main Results:

  • A mechanical instability was observed where a sliding flake transitioned from unrotational to rotational motion.
  • This instability is directly linked to structural superlubricity, a state of extremely low friction.
  • The phenomenon was experimentally verified and theoretically explained.

Conclusions:

  • Surface and interfacial energies can control mechanical instabilities in solids, particularly in two-dimensional materials.
  • Structural superlubricity is a key factor enabling this instability.
  • The findings provide a foundation for controlling sliding joints and designing superlubricity-based devices.