Sustainable and Bio-Inspired Tribology: Coatings, Green Materials and Nature-Inspired Strategies

Dear Colleagues,

The global imperative for sustainable development demands a paradigm shift in materials engineering, driving the search for high-performance tribological and corrosion-protection solutions that align with environmental stewardship. Nature, refined through eons of evolution, serves as an unparalleled source of inspiration in this regard, offering blueprints for systems that are intrinsically efficient, adaptive, and sustainable—from the near-frictionless articulation of joints and the damage-tolerant architecture of nacre to the self-cleaning surfaces of lotus leaves.

This Special Issue, “Sustainable and Bio-Inspired Tribology: Coatings, Green Materials and Nature-Inspired Strategies”, aims to bridge the gap between these biological principles and engineering innovation. We seek to compile cutting-edge research on the development and application of green and sustainable materials in friction control and corrosion protection, alongside studies employing bio-inspired strategies in the design of novel surfaces, coatings, and material systems. Our scope encompasses a broad spectrum of research, from bio-based/degradable materials and eco-friendly lubricants to biomimetic structures and intelligent, adaptive systems. The goal is to foster advancements that propel tribology and corrosion science toward a more environmentally benign, efficient, and intelligent future.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Green tribological materials and lubrication technologies:

• Formulation, tribological performance, and environmental impact assessment of bio-based lubricants, water-based fluids, and biodegradable greases.
• Application of natural polymers (e.g., chitosan, cellulose, lignin) and bio-derived materials in anti-corrosion coatings or self-lubricating composites.
• Development and mechanisms of heavy-metal-free, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) corrosion inhibitors and protective technologies.

2. Bio-inspired strategies for tribocorrosion protection:

• Design, fabrication, and mechanisms of superlubricious, drag-reducing, and anti-adhesive surfaces inspired by natural models (e.g., Nepenthes pitcher plants, fish skin, articular cartilage).
• Bio-inspired self-healing systems (e.g., microcapsule-based, vascular networks) for the autonomous repair of wear and corrosion damage.
• Materials with bio-inspired hierarchical or gradient structures (e.g., nacre-like, bone-like) that synergistically achieve toughness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.

3. Sustainable and bio-inspired material systems:

• In situ-grown protective layers inspired by biomineralization processes and their performance under tribocorrosion conditions.
• Microbially influenced corrosion-mitigation strategies or bio-lubrication approaches.
• Mechanisms and applications of plant-derived extracts as green, multifunctional additives for lubrication and corrosion inhibition.

4. Intelligence, durability, and sustainability assessment:

• Stimuli-responsive (e.g., pH, temperature, stress) intelligent materials for adaptive lubrication or corrosion protection.
• Life cycle assessment (LCA), biodegradability studies, and holistic sustainability analysis of green tribological and protective technologies.
• Research on the potential of bio-inspired designs to reduce frictional energy losses, extend component service life, and minimize ecological footprints.

Dr. Qunfeng Zeng
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• bio-inspired tribology
• sustainability
• green lubricants
• superlubricious surfaces
• life cycle assessment (LCA)