An equipment award supports the fabrication of a tribology attachment for a MASIF (Measurement and Analysis of Surface Interactions and Forces) surface force apparatus. The redesign and specification of the tribology attachment that has the requisite capabilities for both high precision lateral friction force measurements and in-situ laser spectroscopic analyses will be undertaken in collaboration with Australian Scientific Instruments. The development of a fully working tribology attachment for use with the MASIF will result in a new type of molecular tribometer. Its application in molecular tribology studies holds promise to significantly enhance the fundamental understanding of friction and wear, boundary lubrication and other tribological phenomena important to advanced materials. ***
