Atomically precise slide bearing
From apm
Up: Atomically precise bearings
Atomically precise slide bearings are bearings with:
- all surfaces being atomically precise and sufficiently nonreactive (See: nanoscale passivation)
- atomic bumpiness tuned for incommensurability – See: superlubricity
- dry running – no lubricants – (atoms in lubricants would be like gravel at these scales)
- no hollow spaces where dirt could get caught in & (redundantly) typically operating in a sealed PPV environment
Pros & Cons
PROs / Advantages:
- can be very small and compact
- can have extremely low friction for small speeds 1mm/s and below
Note: Choosing slow speeds in productive nanosystems is a viable (and proposed) option due to
the scaling law of higher throughput of smaller machinery.
CONs / Disadvantages:
- significant friction for moderate speeds ~1m/s
- very high friction for high speeds
Dynamic friction scales quadratically with speed. 10x speed 100x friction.
And vice-versa as the flip side of the coin.
2 Strategies for reducing friction for higher speeds – in bigger bearings
The design principle of Infinitesimal bearings can help for higher speeds
but going for atomically precise roller gearbearings too in the case of larger scale bearings
(assembly level 2 and above in productive nanosystems) may be advisable.