Theoretical and computational studies on nanofriction: A review

The subject of nanofriction having its origins in the late 19th century has slowly but surely started picking up lately. With rapid advancements in science and technology throughout the last century, understanding nanofriction has been gaining prominence. In this context, and in the current 21st century of nanotechnology, it is expected that nanofriction will play a predominant role, as we try moving forward to solve the most pressing medical and biological problems with the usage of nanobots. It is important to understand the challenges we have to encounter in order to solve these problems for the benefit of the human race. The availability of high speed computers and smart algorithms has made it possible to investigate the problems (as outlined above and many more) without compromising on the complexities involved. The focus of the present review is to bring together major theoretical/mathematical models and computational approaches to study friction at nanoscale. The role of adhesion in the estimation of force of friction at nanoscale has also been clearly outlined. A critical discussion on the significance of single and multiple asperity models towards estimating friction at nanoscale has also been provided. At the end, a short description on scanning probe microscopy in estimating nanofriction has been provided for the completeness of the review.