TÜBİTAK to Support Scientists

TUBITAK to Support Scientists A project titled "Investigation of nanotribological properties of bilayer twisted graphene structures," submitted by Assoc. Prof. Doğan Erbahar to TÜBİTAK's 1001-Scientific and Technological Research Projects support program, one of TÜBİTAK's most prestigious project categories, has been deemed worthy of support. Assoc. Prof. Doğan Erbahar, a nanoscience and nanotechnology expert, emphasized that the world's biggest problem in our time is the energy problem, stating: "Unfortunately, a significant portion of the energy we produce is being wasted. It is estimated that 35% of the energy produced in the world is wasted due to friction losses. In this context, it is possible to design surfaces in such a way that friction can be precisely controlled and even eliminated. Our project will seek solutions to energy waste in this regard."

Our Energy is Being Wasted

Discussing the importance of the project, Assoc. Prof. Doğan Erbahar, Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Doğuş University, said: "In our time, the environmental and climate concerns viewed as the world's biggest problem are actually parts of a larger problem. This problem is the energy problem. While our world's limited resources struggle to meet the ever-increasing energy demand of growing economies, we unfortunately waste a significant portion of the energy we produce. My recent research has focused on reducing energy losses." Having previously conducted noteworthy studies on room-temperature superconductivity aimed at eliminating electrical transmission losses and on metal oxide structures, Assoc. Prof. Doğan Erbahar indicated that he has focused on reducing friction losses over the past year, continuing as follows:

Friction Accounts for 35% of Energy Waste

"Friction between two surfaces is one of the principal factors that must be taken into account from the most ordinary applications of daily life to the most advanced technology products of our age. It is estimated that 35% of the energy produced in the world is wasted due to friction losses. At the macro scale, the leading method in dealing with friction is lubricating surfaces. However, at the nano scale, which is my area of expertise, it has been understood that lubrication causes more harm than benefit. In this context, it is possible to design surfaces in such a way that friction can be precisely controlled and even eliminated. In our project, we plan to investigate the friction properties of bilayer twisted structures, which have become increasingly popular in recent years, since these structures can exhibit very different characteristics depending on the rotation angle." The project, to be coordinated by Doğuş University, will bring together researchers from İzmir Institute of Technology, Istanbul Medeniyet University, and Yaşar University using entirely domestic resources. The project is expected to be completed in 3 years.   Source