Advances in Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Nanocomposites

A special issue of Lubricants (ISSN 2075-4442).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 592

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
Interests: tribology; mechanical surface and interface; tribology of composite materials; nanomaterials; lubtication
Engineering Center for Superlubricity, Jihua Laboratory, Foshan 528251, China
Interests: tribology; tribology of composite materials; superlubricity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid development of the industrialized world, the demand for nanocomposites with high performance is increasing significantly. The mechanical properties are important factors in the structural and functional applications of nanocomposites. The improved tribological properties of nanomaterials help reduce wear and extend longevity. Extensive studies by researchers from various countries have been conducted, and numerous approaches have been devoted to improving the mechanical and tribological properties of nanocomposites. However, more and more fields, such as modern aerospace, nuclear energy, electric power, and other high-tech industries, are demanding higher requirements for the enhanced mechanical and tribological performance of nanomaterials.

This topic aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements and future directions in this crucial area and seeks the submission of manuscripts covering aspects of one or more of the following areas:

  • Preparation strategies and approaches to achieve high mechanical and tribological properties.
  • Characterization and testing techniques of mechanical and tribological properties.
  • Fundamental strengthening mechanisms of mechanical and tribological properties.
  • Novel nanocomposites (polymer, ceramic, and metal) with excellent performance and their engineering applications.
  • Modeling and simulation of nanocomposites at different scales from nano, meso, to macro.
  • Performance prediction of nanocomposites by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).

Dr. Zhengjia Ji
Dr. Xiaolei Li
Guest Editors

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. Lubricants 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.

Keywords

  • composite
  • polymer
  • ceramic
  • metal
  • friction
  • wear
  • lubrication
  • strengthening mechanism

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 71164 KB  
Article
Molecular Interactions at Asperity Contacts Under Boundary Lubrication
by Dong Sun, Liqin Wang, Deng Pan, Tingjian Wang, Le Gu and Chuanwei Zhang
Lubricants 2026, 14(5), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants14050193 - 6 May 2026
Viewed by 316
Abstract
Boundary lubrication plays a crucial role in determining the service performance and operational lifespan of mechanical components. However, continuum mechanics models and experimental studies are unable to elucidate the dynamic evolution of intermolecular interactions at the interface under boundary lubrication from a microscopic [...] Read more.
Boundary lubrication plays a crucial role in determining the service performance and operational lifespan of mechanical components. However, continuum mechanics models and experimental studies are unable to elucidate the dynamic evolution of intermolecular interactions at the interface under boundary lubrication from a microscopic perspective, including phenomena such as asperity contact and lubricant film rupture. In this study, a molecular dynamics simulation approach was employed to construct a boundary lubrication friction model incorporating lubricant molecules, aiming to investigate the influence of applied load and asperity height on the dynamic evolution of atomic interactions at the interface from the perspective of energy variation, under conditions both with and without asperity contact. The results indicate that van der Waals interactions dominate the frictional response, and severe asperity contact leads to a sharp increase in van der Waals energy, which in turn results in a decrease in normal force, thereby increasing the friction coefficient. When the upper and lower surfaces remain separated by the lubricant, an increase in van der Waals energy leads to higher friction force, consequently elevating the friction coefficient. In the absence of contact, the friction coefficient decreases with increasing load; however, once asperity contact occurs, higher loads accelerate lubricant film failure and intensify direct interfacial contact, leading to more pronounced stick–slip oscillations and increased wear. This study provides atomic-scale insights for the design and performance optimization of boundary lubrication interfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Nanocomposites)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop