Dr. Liang Peng
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Amsterdam
Postdoctoral researcher
University of Amsterdam
I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Soft Matter Group at the Institute of Physics, University of Amsterdam. My research focuses on friction, adhesion, contact mechanics, and lubrication, with particular emphasis on interfacial interactions governing relative motion from the nanoscale to the microscale. The overarching goal of my work is to develop a physics-based quantitative framework for friction and adhesion, enabling reliable prediction and precise control of frictional behavior across multiple length scales. This has direct implications for enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and service life of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and high-precision positioning systems in the semiconductor industry.
My current work investigates charge-mediated friction and lubrication mechanisms by combining high-precision experiments with advanced modeling. During my Ph.D. in the same group, I established novel experimental approaches to connect atomic- and asperity-scale interactions with macroscopic friction, providing quantitative insights into how nanoscale surface features and interfacial mechanisms—including capillary adhesion, electrostatic forces, covalent and hydrogen bonding and local pressure distributions—dictate friction and adhesion performance. Before my PhD, I obtained M.S. and B.S. degrees from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), where my research focused on tribocorrosion mechanisms of WC-based composites and improving the durability of diamond-related tools for deep earth drilling applications.
Outside of science, I am a basketball and football enthusiast—terrible at both but full of passion—a professional napper, part-time gym warrior, traveler when the mood strikes, and a devoted taster of alcoholic beverages (beer, Vabila vodka…..I like my experiments spirited).