Engineering‐Grade Macroscale Superlubricity Under Ultrahigh Contact Pressure in Atmospheric Air via Multiscale Synergistic Meta‐Interfaces

W Wan Wang (Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry) Z Zijun Ding (Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Civil Engineering Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei P. R. China) P Panpan Li (Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem-Bio Synthesis, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China) W Wanying Ying (Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Civil Engineering Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei P. R. China) H Hongxuan Li X Xiaohong Liu B Bo Wang H Huidi Zhou J Jianmin Chen W Wengen Ouyang (Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University 3 , Wuhan, Hubei 430072,) L Li Ji

Abstract

ABSTRACT Friction is responsible for a substantial fraction of global energy dissipation, limiting the efficiency and longevity of moving machinery. While structural superlubricity, a state of near‐zero friction originating from incommensurability, has been demonstrated at the nanoscale, its extension to engineering‐grade applications remains a significant challenge. This scaling gap is primarily driven by “edge‐pinning” effects, interfacial deformations under high loads that disrupt lattice incommensurability, and the presence of grain boundaries that serve as reactive sites for tribochemical oxidation in humid air. Here, we propose an across‐scale synergistic strategy that bridges macroscale contacts to atomic lattices by patterning random macroscale contacts into controllable amorphous/crystalline meta‐interfaces. By integrating laser‐textured pillars coated with high‐rigidity diamond‐like carbon (DLC) and a reinforced MoS 2 ‐MXene composite, we establish an interface where the amorphous DLC ensures persistent incommensurability and resists out‐of‐plane deformation. Simultaneously, the high‐strength MXene phase serves as a protective scaffold to maintain MoS 2 crystal integrity and suppresses oxidation. Our findings demonstrate a robust superlubricity regime with a friction coefficient of 0.008 sustained over 100 000 laps under extreme coupled conditions: millimeter‐scale contact size, 12.7 GPa contact pressure, and 40% relative humidity. This design paradigm extends structural superlubricity from nanoscale model systems to practical technologies for sustainable engineering.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 23
Published April 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (11)

W

Wan Wang

Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry

Z

Zijun Ding

Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Civil Engineering Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei P. R. China

P

Panpan Li

Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs, State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem-Bio Synthesis, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China

W

Wanying Ying

Department of Engineering Mechanics School of Civil Engineering Wuhan University Wuhan Hubei P. R. China

H

Hongxuan Li

X

Xiaohong Liu

B

Bo Wang

H

Huidi Zhou

J

Jianmin Chen

W

Wengen Ouyang

Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University 3 , Wuhan, Hubei 430072,

L

Li Ji