Adhesion and friction in mesoscopic graphite contacts

Using friction to guide fabrication Ultralow friction found in certain layered materials such as graphite is important in the construction of nanomechanical devices. Koren et al. combined measurements and modeling to characterize the interaction of sliding graphite planes (see the Perspective by Liechti). This helped them to make small graphite devices that featured rotational pivots and multiple locking positions. Science , this issue p. 679