Exploring and Explaining Friction with the Prandtl-Tomlinson Model

The Prandtl-Tomlinson model of friction, first introduced in 1928 as a conceptual model for a single-atom contact, consists of a point mass that is dragged over a sinusoidal potential by a spring. After decades of virtual oblivion, it has recently found impressive validation for contacts Comprising tens or even hundreds of atoms. To date, the Prandtl-Tomlinson model enjoys widespread popularity as depicting arguably the most insightful mechanical analogue to atomic-scale effects occurring at sliding interfaces. In this issue of ACS Nano, Pawlak et al. demonstrate the model's applicability to a true single-atom contact, thereby illustrating that simple mechanical representations can indeed go a long way toward explaining interactions at atomically defined interfaces.