What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to explore how molecular ordering can create a balance between bubble affinity and low friction.

May 9, 2026Advanced Science0 citationsOpen Access

Sticky Yet Slippery: Molecular Ordering Reconciles Bubble‐Surface Affinity With Ultralow Friction at the Nanoscale

SZShishuang ZhangCentral South University JLJiajun LiCentral South University HTHuadong TianNorth Sichuan Medical University

Key Points

The aim is to explore how molecular ordering can create a balance between bubble affinity and low friction.
Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to analyze the interaction between bubbles and surfaces.
The study examined how molecular ordering influences interfacial water molecules and hydrophobic interactions.
A 60% reduction in friction was achieved at a molecular distance of approximately 1.9 nm.
Molecular ordering creates a depletion layer that enhances hydrophobic interactions.
The mechanism found can inform the design of soft interfaces with optimized wetting and adhesion properties.

Abstract

to ∼1.9 nm and reduces friction by additional 60%. Molecular dynamics simulations attribute this "sticky-slippery" synergy to molecular ordering and homogenization, which reorganize interfacial water molecules into a well-defined depletion layer that strengthens hydrophobic interaction; simultaneously, coherent chain tilting and reorientation during bubble sliding preserve chain order and packing density, minimizing contact line pinning and energy dissipation. These findings unveil a universal molecular mechanism that reconciles bubble affinity with ultralow friction, establishing a general framework for engineering adaptive soft interfaces with programmable wetting, adhesion, and interfacial transport properties.

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