Rubber Material Enables Scratch-Proof Surfaces

The slippery state caused by water or oil is called superlubricity — where there is basically no friction on a surface. In graphene, this superlubricity state comes from atomic orbitals that compose carbon atoms. To generate friction, some orbitals must overlap and heat, or some energy must be released. Graphene does not require this process; rather, it spontaneously slides on top of other layers, but does not release heat. Graphene, which is 300 times stronger than steel, becomes mechanically weaker and can easily break.