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  • Open Access

Electric-Field Control of Interlayer Binding and Friction in h-BN Contacts

Penghua Ying1,2, Michael Urbakh2,*, and Oded Hod2

  • 1Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical Science, SV LAB, School of Aerospace, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
  • 2Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences and The Sackler Center for Computational Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel

  • *Contact author: urbakh@tauex.tau.ac.il
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Phys. Rev. X 16, 031003 – Published 10 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/s32x-hjrx

Abstract

Recent studies of two-dimensional layered materials under external electric fields have gained significant attention, as such fields offer a powerful, noninvasive approach to actively modulate surface interactions at the molecular level, enabling real-time and reversible tuning of material properties. In this article, we use fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations based on machine-learning potentials to predict the dependence of chemifriction on external electric fields in defected layered contacts. By controlling the rate of polar bond formation and rupture, friction can be either increased or decreased depending on the field strength and direction. To extend these atomistic insights to the experimentally relevant low-velocity regime, we develop a physically motivated stochastic model that bridges atomic-scale mechanisms with macroscopic friction behavior. Although demonstrated for hexagonal boron nitride junctions, the proposed mechanism of electrotunable chemifriction is expected to be general and applicable to a broad range of layered materials with polar interlayer bonding.

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Popular Summary

Structural superlubricity is a regime of ultralow friction and wear that emerges when two crystalline surfaces slide in an incommensurate manner. We show that an external electric field can act as an effective control knob to tune structural superlubricity in interfaces of atomically thin layers of hexagonal boron nitride. Using advanced atomistic simulation tools, we demonstrate that electric fields regulate the formation and rupture of interfacial polar bonds, enabling friction to be either enhanced or suppressed. We further introduce a simple stochastic model that links these atomic-scale mechanisms to friction at experimentally relevant sliding speeds, pointing to a general route for electrically controlling friction in layered material contacts.

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Phys. Rev. X 16, 031003– Published 10 July, 2026
  • Received 11 January 2026
  • Accepted 13 May 2026
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