Moiré superlattice effects on interfacial mechanical behavior: A concise review

The moire superlattice, arising from the interface of mismatched single crystals, intricately regulates the physical and mechanical properties of materials, giving rise to phenomena such as superconductivity and superlubricity. This study delves into the profound impact of moire superlattices on the interfacial mechanical behavior of van der Waals (vdW) layered materials, with a particular focus on tribological properties. A comprehensive review of continuum modeling approaches for vdW layered materials is presented, accentuating the incorporation of moire superlattice effects in theoretical models to unravel their distinctive interfacial frictional behavior and thermodynamic properties. The exploration of moire superlattices has significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of interface phenomena in vdW layered materials. This progress provides crucial theoretical insights that can inform the design of multifunctional devices based on the unique properties of twisted layered materials. Interlayer twist will form moire superlattices at the interface of two contacting crystal planes, which can induce in-plane atomic reconstruction and out-of-plane deformation field, playing a key role in determining the physical and mechanical properties of van der Waals layered materials. image