Cangyu Qu

Education

• Enrolled in Tsien Excellence in Engineering Program – one of 29 students in the mechanics track of Tsinghua’s elite undergraduate program from over 3,000 incoming freshmen
• Visiting student – Bertoldi group, Harvard University (2012)

Research

My research interest includes mechanics and tribology of solid interfaces on the micro- and nanoscale. I aim to uncover and explain unique phenomena through development and use of innovative new methods. My prior and current research is focused on three intersecting areas:

• Mechanochemistry:
  Mechanochemistry uses mechanical forces to drive and control chemical reactions, enabling green synthesis and more efficient mechanical systems. I studied the mechanics aspects of mechanochemistry, developing a corrected model to accurately measure stress-dependent reaction kinetics. With atomic force microscopy, I studied tribofilm growth and stress-induced polymerization in nanoscale electrical contacts, for enhanced durability of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS).
• Structural superlubricity:
  Structural superlubricity is a state of near-zero friction between solid surfaces due to atomic-scale misalignment. I investigated the fundamental mechanisms of microscale superlubricity, showing how edges and defects in limit the size of superlubricity and causing friction. I also uncovered unique behaviors at near-zero friction, including surface-energy-driven motion and mechanical instabilities, which could enable controlled movement of superlubric devices.
• Nanomechanics:
  I study how low-dimensional materials behave at the nanoscale, focusing on the fracture of atomically-thin 2D materials. I developed a novel atomic force microscopy method enabling high-throughput measurement of graphene’s fracture anisotropy—critical for designing reliable 2D-material-based devices and improving material toughness. My research also explores how stress influence crack initiation, and how fracture leads to self-assembled structures.

Publications

1. Qu, C., Fang, L., Carpick, R. (2025). Contact Mechanics Correction of Activation Volume in Mechanochemistry. (In production, accepted by Physical Review B)
2. Capaldi, L.N., Yuan, L., Qu, C., Sánchez, D.A., Carpick, R.W. and Tertuliano, O.A., (2025). High-Throughput Formation of 3D van der Waals Auto-Kirigami. Nano Letters, 25(10), 3964.
3. Peng, D., Wang, Y., Li, H., Wu, Z., Yang, X., Huang, X., Xiang, X., Nie, J., Qu, C., Cao, W., Wu, M., Ouyang, W., Liu, Z., Ma, M., Ding, F., Liu, Y., Xu, Z., Zheng, Q. (2025). Structural superlubric slidevices. Device. (Published online)
4. Yang, D., Qu, C., Gongyang, Y., Zheng, Q. (2023). Manipulation and Characterization of Submillimeter Shearing Contacts in Graphite by the Micro-Dome Technique. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15(37), 44563.
5. Qu, C., Shi, D., Chen, L., Wu, Z., Wang, J., Shi, S., Gao, E., Xu, Z., & Zheng, Q. (2022). Anisotropic Fracture of Graphene Revealed by Surface Steps on Graphite. Physical Review Letters, 129(2), 026101.
6. Wang, K., He, Y., Cao, W., Wang, J., Qu, C., Chai, M., Liu, Y., Zheng, Q., Ma, M. Structural superlubricity with a contaminant-rich interface. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 169, 105063 (2022).
7. Jia, X., Shao, Q., Xu, Y., Li, R., Huang, K., Guo, Y., Qu, C., Gao, E. (2021). Elasticity-Based-Exfoliability Measure for High-Throughput Computational Exfoliation of Two-Dimensional Materials. npj Computational Materials, 7 (1), 211.
8. He, Y., Li, H., Qu, C., Cao, W., & Ma, M. (2021). Recent understanding of solid-liquid friction in ionic liquids. Green Chemical Engineering, 2(2), 145–157.
9. He, Y., Shi, D., Qu, C., Xu, Z., Chen, L., Wang, Y., Yu, Z., & Ma, M. (2021). Diffusion Induced Different Distributions of Sulfur Clusters on Suspended and Supported Graphene. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 125(21).
10. Qu, C., Wang, K., Wang, J., Gongyang, Y., Carpick, R., Urbakh, M., Zheng, Q. (2020). Origin of Friction in Superlubric Graphite Contacts. Physical Review Letters, 125(12), 126102.
11. Wang, K., Qu, C., Wang, J., Quan, B., Zheng, Q. (2020). Characterization of a Microscale Superlubric Graphite Interface. Physical Review Letters, 125(2), 026101. (Editors’ suggestion)
12. Qu, C., Xiang, X., Ma, M., Zheng, Q. (2020). Controlled Movements in Superlubric MEMS. Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology (New Series), 27(3), 45.
13. Zhao, S., Shi, S., Xia, K., Wang, T., Chai, M., Zhang, Y., Qu, C., Zheng, Q. (2020). Scratching of Graphene-Coated Cu Substrates Leads to Hardened Cu Interfaces with Enhanced Lubricity. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 3(2), 1992.
14. Peng, D., Wu, Z., Shi, D., Qu, C., Jiang, H., Song, Y., Ma, M., Aeppli, G., Urbakh, M., Zheng, Q. (2020). Load-induced dynamical transitions at graphene interfaces. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117(23) 12618.
15. Song, Y., Qu, C., Ma, M. & Zheng, Q. (2020). Structural Superlubricity Based on Crystalline Materials. Small. 16(15), 1903018.
16. Liu, B., Wang, J., Zhao, S., Qu, C., Liu, Y., Ma, L., Zhang, Z., Liu, K., Zheng, Q., Ma, M. (2020). Negative friction coefficient in microscale graphite/mica layered heterojunctions. Science Advances, 6(16), eaaz6787.
17. Gongyang, Y., Ouyang, W., Qu, C., Urbakh, M., Quan, B., Ma, M., & Zheng, Q. (2020). Temperature and velocity dependent friction of a microscale graphite-DLC heterostructure. Friction, 8(2), 462–470.
18. Qu, C., Shi, S., Ma, M., Zheng, Q. (2019). Rotational Instability in Superlubric Joints. Physical Review Letters, 122(24), 246101. (Highlighted by Nature Materials)
19. Qu, C., Cao, W., Liu, B., Wang, A., Xie, F., Ma, M., Shan, W., Urbakh, M., Zheng, Q. (2019). Direct Measurement of Adhesions of Liquid on Graphite. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 123(18), 11671.
20. Wang, K., Qu, C., Wang, J., Ouyang, W., Ma, M., Zheng, Q. (2019). Strain Engineering Modulates Graphene Interlayer Friction by Moiré Patterns Evolution. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 11, 36169.
21. Wang, J., Cao, W., Song, Y., Qu, C., Zheng, Q., Ma, M. (2019). Generalized Scaling Law of Structural Superlubricity. Nano Letters. 19, 7735.
22. Qu, C., Liu, B., Ma, M., Zheng, Q. (2018). Design and Optimization of the Diamagnetic Lateral Force Calibration Method. Review of Scientific Instruments, 89(11), 113704
23. Gongyang, Y., Qu, C., Zhang, S., Ma, M., & Zheng, Q. (2018). Eliminating delamination of graphite sliding on diamond-like carbon. Carbon, 132, 444.
24. Liu, B., Wang, J., Peng, X., Qu, C., Ma, M., & Zheng, Q. (2018). Direct fabrication of graphite-mica heterojunction and in situ control of their relative orientation. Materials & Design, 160, 371–376.
25. Shan, S., Kang, S. H., Wang, P., Qu, C., Shian, S., Chen, E. R., Bertoldi, K. (2014). Harnessing multiple folding mechanisms in soft periodic structures for tunable control of elastic waves. Advanced Functional Materials, 24(31), 4935.

Download: CV – Cangyu Qu