Tribology: Materials, Surfaces & Interfaces

Tribology, by its very nature, has always been dominated by how surfaces react to load, relative motion and chemical/physical reactions. With the increased sophistication of surface analytical tools and their increasing application in tribology, a very good understanding of the nature of tribochemical, tribophysical and tribocorrosion reactions is emerging. Tribology — Materials, Surfaces & Interfaces is at the forefront of this growing area and aims to meet the needs of both academia and industry.

From an engineering perspective there are numerous situations where tribological processes occur alongside other physical, chemical or electrochemical processes. To understand how the entire system of interfacial reactions occurs requires studies which integrate all processes. Tribological processes (for example, abrasion, erosion, sliding wear, cavitation) can lead to increased activation of the chemical reactivity, electrochemical response, or can induce electron exchange processes. Tribochemistry, tribocorrosion and tribophysics will be central themes in the journal. Contributions involving experimental approaches and/or modelling which advance the current understanding of the above processes will be welcome.

Areas of focus

• Tribocorrosion
• Lubricant additives — tribochemistry, tribophysics and tribofilm characterisation
• Surface analysis — in-situ and ex-situ analysis of tribological processes
• Biotribology — including biotribocorrosion and processes at biological implant interfaces
• Nanoscale tribology — understanding surface processes and reactions on the nanoscale
• Surface and coatings technology — surface and interface engineering to improve tribological performance
• Lubrication challenges in the boundary and mixed lubrication regimes — environmental legislation, fuel
  economy and novel additive systems
• Manufacturing processes — e.g. chemo-mechanical polishing
• Molecular tribology — understanding molecular arrangement, changes of configuration and functionality at
  tribological interfaces.