Tribology in Full View

拟议工作的主要重点是结合滑动表面的原位电子显微镜研究和主要使用基于位错的分析模型对摩擦活动区域中发生的纳米级过程进行基于材料科学的建模。实验工作的主要重点将是直接实时地解决所发生的过程，范围从位错的运动和界面的滑动到摩擦学诱导的化学或结构转变。这将利用所有不同的电子显微镜成像模式，从传统的低分辨率成像到电子能量损失光谱再到原子尺度成像。分析部分的主旨将是将传统的材料科学思想，如位错运动的势垒效应与摩擦活性层中正在发生的事情结合起来，开发具有预测能力的无参数分析模型，以便在未来可以用于估计新的摩擦学问题或系统中将发生什么。如果成功，这项工作将为摩擦活性区域纳米级的摩擦学过程建立坚实的材料科学基础。此外，理论模型和预测分析模型可以用于估计实际工程情况下的问题，从而进行合理的设计，以减少摩擦能量损失，提高机械系统在纳米尺度上的可靠性。在教育方面，作为与丘特和尼科尔斯中学的现有项目以及埃文斯顿的Hands项目的一部分，这项研究将有助于支持当地对高中生的推广，以及更多的国际推广努力，包括通过国际结晶学联合会在蒙古、卡塔尔和南非等地开办电子结晶学学校和研讨会。

The primary focus of the proposed work is a combination of in-situ transmission electron microscopy studies of sliding surfaces and materials-science based modelling of the nanoscale processes taking place in the triboactive region using primarily dislocation-based analytic models. The main focus of the experimental work will be to directly resolve in real time the processes taking place, ranging from the motion of dislocations and sliding of interfaces to tribologically induced chemical or structural transitions. This will exploit all the different modes of electron microscope imaging ranging from conventional low-resolution imaging through electron-energy loss spectroscopy to atomic scale imaging. The thrust of the analytical component will be to marry conventional materials science ideas such as the effect of barriers on dislocation motion with what is taking place in the triboactive layer, to develop parameter-free analytic models which have predictive power so can be used in the future to estimate what will be taking place in new tribological problems or systems.If successful, the work will establish a solid materials science foundation for tribological processes taking place at the nanoscale in the triboactive region. In addition, the theoretical models and the predictive analytical models can be then used to estimate issues in real engineering situations, leading to rational designs to reduce frictional energy losses and improve the reliability of mechanical systems at the nanoscale. In terms of education, the research will help support both local outreach to high-school students as part of the existing programs with Chute and Nichols Middle Schools and the HANDS program in Evanston, as well as more international outreach efforts involving efforts to run schools and workshops on electron crystallography in places such as Mongolia, Qatar and South Africa via the International Union of Crystallography.