Effect of temperature on nanoscale wear behavior of graphene: a molecular dynamics study

Being a typical two-dimensional layered material, graphene has the fantastic mechanical properties at the nanoscale. However, when nanoscale components work at high velocity, the local temperature change of abrasive particles seriously affects the service life of nano-mechanical devices and the surface quality of workpieces. In this work, we construct a probe-matrix system in atomic force microscope experiment by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Considering the influence of interfacial temperature, the friction force in the process of abrasive wear is calculated. And the effect of temperature on nanoscale wear behavior of graphene has been investigated. Molecular dynamics simulations show the friction force fluctuates with the increasing of temperature. The effect of interfacial temperature on the atomic kinetic energy significantly determine the nanoscale wear resistance. It is also found that the friction characteristics of graphene will be affected as interfacial temperature increase. The study provides new insights on nanoscale wear considering temperature effect.