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Lubricants
Special Issues
Superlubricity Mechanisms and Applications
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Superlubricity Mechanisms and Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 6033

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tianyi Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Interests: hydration lubrication; liquid superlubricity; intermolecular and surface forces
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zhongnan Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: hydration lubrication; superlubricity; bio-lubrication; MEMS tribology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Superlubricity occurs when the frictional resistance between two surfaces in relative motion is exceptionally low or nearly zero. This phenomenon challenges the traditional understanding of friction and offers significant potential for various applications.

The study and application of superlubricity can potentially revolutionize the design and performance of mechanical systems such as bearings, gears, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). By reducing friction, it can lead to enhanced energy efficiency, less wear and tear, and longer lifetimes of mechanical components. It also opens up new avenues for research in nanotechnology and surface science, as understanding and harnessing superlubricity requires a deep exploration of the interactions at both the atomic and molecular scale.

The intention of this Special Issue is to share the physical and chemical mechanisms underlying superlubricity and how superlubricity can be harnessed in real-world engineering scenarios.

Dr. Tianyi Han
Dr. Zhongnan Wang
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

  • liquid superlubricity
  • solid superlubricity
  • solid liquid combined superlubricity
  • superlubricity mechanisms
  • superlubricity applications

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 9159 KB  
Article
Ultralow-Friction in Graphene–Nanodiamond Functionalized DLC Coatings: Transfer-Layer Evolution Under Variable Load and Humidity
by Andrea Mescola, Federico Zanni, Alberto Rota, Cristina Bernini, Andrea Gerbi, Riccardo Carzino, Luca Repetto, Michał Bartkowski, Silvia Giordani, Renato Buzio and Guido Paolicelli
Lubricants 2026, 14(5), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants14050184 - 24 Apr 2026
Viewed by 460
Abstract
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are widely used as protective and self-lubricating surfaces in metal–metal contacts. Their frictional behavior is governed by the formation and evolution of carbon-rich transfer layers (TLs), which can be tailored through functionalization with carbon nanomaterials. Recent studies have shown [...] Read more.
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are widely used as protective and self-lubricating surfaces in metal–metal contacts. Their frictional behavior is governed by the formation and evolution of carbon-rich transfer layers (TLs), which can be tailored through functionalization with carbon nanomaterials. Recent studies have shown that graphene sheets (GSs) and nanodiamonds (NDs) act synergistically to achieve ultra-low friction in microrough (~0.2 μm) metal–DLC contacts under dry N2 at a 1 N load. Here, we probe how this lubrication mechanism evolves with increasing load from 1 to 10 N—corresponding to local contact pressures up to ~11–16 GPa—respectively, in dry N2 and humid air conditions. Ball-on-disk experiments are performed on an industrial hydrogenated DLC coating sliding against stainless-steel. In dry N2, GS–ND functionalization yields a low and stable coefficient of friction across the entire load range, reaching a minimum of about 0.05. In humid air, higher friction levels are observed across all loads (CoF ~0.10–0.15), accompanied by oxidation-driven modifications of both wear debris and the counterface contact region, with oxygen content increasing by more than a factor of three compared to dry N2. Detailed microscopy and spectroscopy analyses indicate that enhanced lubricity in dry N2 arises from TLs incorporating GSs, NDs, and nanoscroll-like structures, whereas humid air promotes interfacial amorphization and oxidation, leading to load-insensitive friction and boundary lubrication effects through physisorbed water molecules. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superlubricity Mechanisms and Applications)
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Review

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31 pages, 4459 KB  
Review
Prospects and Challenges for Achieving Superlubricity in Porous Framework Materials (MOFs/POFs): A Review
by Ruishen Wang, Xunyi Liu, Sifan Huo, Mingming Liu, Jiasen Zhang, Yuhong Liu, Yanhong Cheng and Caixia Zhang
Lubricants 2026, 14(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants14010042 - 15 Jan 2026
Viewed by 959
Abstract
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous organic frameworks (POFs) have been extensively explored in recent years as lubricant additives for various systems due to their structural designability, pore storage capacity, and tunable surface chemistry. These materials are utilized to construct low-friction, low-wear interfaces and [...] Read more.
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous organic frameworks (POFs) have been extensively explored in recent years as lubricant additives for various systems due to their structural designability, pore storage capacity, and tunable surface chemistry. These materials are utilized to construct low-friction, low-wear interfaces and investigate the potential for superlubricity. This paper systematically reviews the tribological behavior and key mechanisms of MOFs/POFs in oil-based, water-based, and solid coating systems. In oil-based systems, MOFs/POFs primarily achieve friction reduction and wear resistance through third-body particles, layer slip, and synergistic friction-induced chemical/physical transfer films. However, limitations in achieving superlubricity stem from the multi-component heterogeneity of boundary films and the dynamic evolution of shear planes. In water-based systems, MOFs/POFs leverage hydrophilic functional groups to induce hydration layers, promote polymer thickening, and soften gels through interfacial anchoring. Under specific conditions, a few cases exhibit superlubricity with coefficients of friction entering the 10−3 range. In solid coating systems, two-dimensional MOFs/COFs with controllable orientation leverage interlayer weak interactions and incommensurate interfaces to reduce potential barriers, achieving structural superlubricity at the 10−3–10−4 level on the micro- and nano-scales. However, at the engineering scale, factors such as roughness, contamination, and discontinuities in the lubricating film still constrain performance, leading to amplified energy dissipation and degradation. Finally, this paper discusses key challenges in achieving superlubricity with MOFs/POFs and proposes future research directions, including the design of shear-plane structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superlubricity Mechanisms and Applications)
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37 pages, 30036 KB  
Review
Lubrication and Drag Reduction for Polymer-Coated Interfaces
by Qiang Yang, Xiang Ben, Jingkai Lin, Yuhao Zhang, Li Xiang, Zhiyong Wei and Yajing Kan
Lubricants 2025, 13(3), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/lubricants13030119 - 12 Mar 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4038
Abstract
Lubrication is a well-established strategy for reducing interfacial frictional energy dissipation and preventing surface wear. Various lubricants have been developed, including mineral oil materials, vegetable oil materials, polymer-based materials, and solid lubrication materials. Among these, polymer-based lubrication materials have gained significant interest due [...] Read more.
Lubrication is a well-established strategy for reducing interfacial frictional energy dissipation and preventing surface wear. Various lubricants have been developed, including mineral oil materials, vegetable oil materials, polymer-based materials, and solid lubrication materials. Among these, polymer-based lubrication materials have gained significant interest due to their versatility, leading to the development of tailored strategies to meet diverse application demands. In load-bearing scenarios, polymer-based materials enhance interfacial hydration, exhibiting exceptional frictional properties, including extremely low friction coefficients, high load-bearing capacity, and superior wear resistance. In contrast, in non-load-bearing scenarios, polymer-based coatings improve interfacial hydrophobicity, promoting boundary slip and reducing frictional resistance at the solid–liquid interface (SLI), making them an important strategy for drag reduction. Despite substantial advancements in polymer-based lubrication and drag reduction (PBLDR), the underlying microscopic mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental principles governing PBLDR. The main topics covered will include the following: (1) the fundamentals of the surface forces and hydrodynamic force, (2) the mechanisms underlying hydration lubrication, (3) joint lubrication and polymer brush lubrication, (4) the friction tuning and interfacial drag reduction via polymer coating design, and (5) the potential and limitations of polymer-based materials. By summarizing recent advancements in PBLDR, this work will provide valuable contributions to future research and applications in related fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superlubricity Mechanisms and Applications)
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