Tribological Behaviours of Advanced Polymeric Materials

Dear Colleagues,

From before the vulcanisation of rubber, and the synthesis of the first fully synthetic polymer, up to recent uses of artificial intelligence for the prediction of advanced polymer formulations, polymeric materials have played a critical part in engineering applications. This Special Issue invites articles that exhibit cutting-edge research on polymeric surfaces and lubricants. We seek contributions that model tribological behaviours, focusing on visco-elasto-plasticity, in addition to multi-phasic materials and fluids. Additional properties to consider include surface cohesion, adhesion, and tribo-electric charging, crucial for applications in biomedical devices and flexible electronics.

We encourage submissions regarding innovative polymeric materials. Prominent examples include hydrogels and polymer brushes for medical implants and drug delivery systems; 2D polymers and conductive polymers for their potential in electronic skin and wearable sensors; and high-entropy polymer composites, bio-degradable and/or chemically recyclable polymers for sustainable solutions in automotive and aerospace industries.

This Special Issue aims to showcase experimental methods for evaluating tribological performance and analyses relevant to real-world applications, such as low-friction coatings for machinery and durable components for renewable energy systems. We are interested in dynamic mechanical analyses of complex polymeric materials, exploring visco-elasto-plastic and multi-phasic behaviours relevant to countless consumer goods. Multi-faceted analyses of unique material characteristics, including stimulus-responsive polymers and their electro-mechanical characterisation, are also sought, with applications in smart textiles and adaptive surfaces.

The primary objective of this Issue is to emphasise the importance of polymeric materials within tribological applications, highlighting the most recent advances and their novelty to the wider tribological community. By addressing these challenges and opportunities in tribological research, we aim to foster innovation and collaboration, paving the way for next-generation materials with superior tribological performance.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Greg de Boer
Dr. Josh Armitage
Dr. Seunghwan Lee
Dr. Cayetano Espejo Conesa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• visco-elastic-plastic tribology
• soft contact mechanics
• hydration lubrication
• multi-phasic behaviour
• polymeric tribology