EFFECTS OF STICK-SLIP MOTION ON ENERGY-DISSIPATION IN SMALL SLIDING SOLIDS

Friction is studied in a model consisting of a relatively short chain of particles (each one of which may be taken to represent a layer of a toms which is treated as rigid for simplicity) with anharmonic interpa rticle interactions, dragged at slow speeds over a potential which int eracts with the particle on the end of the chain, with parameters chos en so that stick-slip motion takes place. A transition from dissipativ e to dissipationless sliding is found as a function of decreasing chai n length, similar to that found for non-stick-slip motion. This could be a simplified model for a small lubricant particle anchored to a sur face at one end, being dragged over a second surface at very slow spee ds (about 1 cm s(-1)).