Multiple Scratching: An Atomistic Study

Abstract Using molecular dynamics simulation, we investigate multiple scratching processes in which a tip moves through a groove that has already been formed during a previous scratch. We use a conical indenter such that the friction coefficient is independent of the scratch depth. First, a single scratch to a depth of 4 nm is compared with a 2-cycle scratch in which a scratch at depth 2 nm is followed by a second scratch to the full depth of 4 nm. We observe that the second cycle shows a smaller friction coefficient as long as the tip moves through the pre-formed groove without touching the front end. In addition, we studied 5 cycles of scratching, in which the scratch depth was increased by 2 nm in each cycle. These results confirm and generalize the findings for the 2-cycle scratch. A constant-load 2-cycle scratch simulation emphasizes that the reduction in transverse load—and, consequently, in the friction coefficient—is caused by the fact that, despite a large normal area supporting the normal load, only a thin area is available to resist the transverse movement of the scratch tip. The work done during scratching is in good approximation proportional to the scratch volume showing that the transverse hardness is approximately constant in all scratch processes investigated here.