title: Ab initio studies on nanoscale friction between graphite layers: effect of model size and level of theory.
abstract: Ab initio methods were used to investigate the nanoscale friction between two graphite layers placed in contact. The interaction energies were calculated for four two-layer models in series, C(6(n+1))2H(6n+1))-C(6)(n)2H(6)(n) with n = 1, 2, 3, and 4, and additionally for C(54)H(18)-C(6)H(6) and C(150)H(30)-C(6)H(6). The study was done with the Hartree-Fock method using basis sets 3-21G and 6-31G and with the second-order Møller-Plesset theory using basis set 6-31G. A density functional method (B3PW91) was also tested for reference purposes. The main interest was how the model size and level of theory affect the nanoscale friction coefficient. Most of the calculated friction coefficients fell within the range of values of 0.07-0.14.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FIN-80101 Joensuu, Finland.
authors.forename: Raisa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Neitola
authors.forename: Henna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ruuska
authors.forename: Tapani A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Pakkanen