Nanoscale Friction of Biomimetic Hair Surfaces

• Published in: bioRxiv
• Main Authors: Weiand, Erik, Ewen, James P, Roiter, Yuri, Koenig, Peter H, Page, Steven H, Rodriquez-Ropero, Francisco, Angioletti-Uberti, Stefano, Dini, Daniele
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Cold Spring Harbor Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 04.10.2022
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopy; Computer applications; Experiments; Friction; Hair; Velocity
• DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.29.510078

We investigate the nanoscale friction between biomimetic hair surfaces using chemical colloidal probe atomic force microscopy experiments and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. In the experiments, friction is measured between water-lubricated silica surfaces functionalised with monolayers of either octadecyl or sulfonate groups, which are representative of the surfaces of virgin and ultimately bleached hair, respectively. In the simulations, friction is monitored between coarse-grained model hair surfaces with different levels of chemical damage, where different fractions of grafted lipid molecules are randomly replaced with sulfonate groups. The sliding velocity dependence of friction can be described using an extended stress-augmented thermally activation model. As the damage level increases, the friction generally increases, but its sliding velocity-dependence decreases. At low sliding speeds, which are closer to those encountered physiologically and experimentally, we observe a monotonic increase of friction with the damage ratio, which is consistent with our new experiments using biomimetic surfaces and previous ones using real hair. This observation demonstrates that modified surface chemistry, rather than roughness changes or subsurface damage, control the increase in nanoscale friction of damaged hair. We expect the experimental and computational model surfaces proposed here to be useful to screen the tribological performance of hair care formulations. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Footnotes * Link to a GitHub repository for initial topologies and LAMMPS input scripts added.