The Role of Surface Roughness on Lubrication: Numerical and Experimental Analyses

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, lubrication science has increasingly focused on multi-scale phenomena with the specific aim to correlate what occurs at the micro-scale with the global tribological performance at the macro-scale. Massive research efforts on theoretical significance and engineering interest have occurred in this regard. However, our knowledge of multi-scale lubrication is still far from complete. Specifically, in spite of many analytical, numerical and experimental approaches, an exhaustive description of the role played by the micro-topography of the contacting solids in determining the lubrication performance is still missing. The so-called boundary and mixed lubrication regimes, which are crucially important for applicative and engineering reasons, are indeed marked by a poor theoretical knowledge.

This Special Issue aims to promote advances in this field, in particular, the role played by the roughness in lubrication. We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that will stimulate continuing effort to understand and improve our understanding of multiscale lubrication. We are particularly interested in contributions focusing on lubrication of macro-, micro-, and nano-systems. Potential topics include, but are not limited to the following:

• Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation;
• Stochastic and/or deterministic solution of Reynolds equations for boundary and mixed lubrication;
• Complementary approaches and the role of cavitation at the micro-scale;
• The roles of slip length and hydrophobicity at the micro- and meso-scale;
• Topographical micro-design in boundary and mixed lubrication;
• The roles of lubricant and solid rheology in multi-scale lubrication;
• Experimental characterization of tribological performance by means of innovative micro- and nano- tribometers; and
• Experimental innovative tribo-experiments (e.g., ultrasonic, fluorescence techniques).

Dr. Carmine Putignano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• Lubrication
• Friction
• Roughness
• Numerical methods
• Experiments