Special Issues

Lubricants publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Tribological Properties of Sprayed Coatings
edited by Hao Lan, Hao Lin and Fengkun Li
submission deadline 30 Oct 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 7363 | Submission Open
Keywords: thermal spray; cold spray; coating; tribological properties; wear resistance; wear mechanisms
Recent Advances in Automotive Powertrain Lubrication submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 20814 | Submission Open
Keywords: automotive lubricants; engine oil; transmission oil; renewable lubricants; nano additives; oil degradation; oil condition monitoring; oil analysis
Tribology in Vehicles submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 12079 | Submission Open
Keywords: friction and wear; lubrication; tire-road contacts; wheel-rail systems; braking systems; novel frictional surfaces; bio-inspired design; braking emission; frictional noise and vibration
New Horizons in Machine Learning Applications for Tribology
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 9 articles | Viewed by 11200 | Submission Open
Keywords: machine learning; artificial intelligence; knowledge discovery in databases; data mining; metamodels; artificial neural networks; classification; regression; friction; lubrication; wear; rheology; machine elements; condition monitoring; composite materials; surface modifications; lubricants and additives
Friction and Wear of Ceramics
edited by Yanchun Zhou, Yongsheng Zhang and Hengzhong Fan
submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 5 articles | Viewed by 8084 | Submission Open
Keywords: ceramics; ultra-high temperature ceramics; composites; friction; tribology; lubrication
Novel Lubricant Additives in 2025
edited by Hongmei Yang and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 6 articles | Viewed by 7789 | Submission Open
Keywords: lubricant additive; molecular design; compound additive; synthesis method; lubricating applications
Tribology in Artificial Joints
edited by Zikai Hua, and Hongyu Zhang
submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3652 | Submission Open
Keywords: biotribology; artificial; wear; friction; implant
Tribology of Friction Brakes
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | Viewed by 374 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribology; friction; wear; emission; friction brakes; brake systems; wear particles; testing and validation
Friction and Wear Properties of Sprayed Coatings
edited by Nay Win Khun, and
submission deadline 31 Oct 2025 | Viewed by 201 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribological performance of sprayed coatings; surface engineering for friction and wear; thermal spray coating technologies
Advanced Surface Treatments and Coatings for Friction and Wear Reduction
edited by Silvia Vesco
submission deadline 1 Nov 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3457 | Submission Open
Keywords: graphene; tribology; laser texturing; wear; coating; friction; fea; plasma treatment; thin film
Tribology in Forging
edited by Kazuhiko Kitamura, Ryo Matsumoto, and Yoshikawa Yasuharu
submission deadline 1 Nov 2025 | Viewed by 371 | Submission Open
Keywords: lubricants; die coating; tooling; press machine; forging process
Advances in Hydrodynamic Friction in Combustion Engines submission deadline 15 Nov 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 7833 | Submission Open
Keywords: friction; lubrication; tribology; combustion engines
Recent Advances in Lubricated Tribological Contacts
edited by Marcus Björling and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | 12 articles | Viewed by 16888 | Submission Open
Keywords: lubricated tribological contacts; rough contact mechanics; coatings; tribology; lubrication
Tribological and Mechanical Characteristics of Aluminum Metal Matrix Composites and Their Applications
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | 5 articles | Viewed by 7227 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribological characteristics; mechanical characteristics; aluminum; metal matrix composites; application
Tire/Road Interface and Road Surface Textures
edited by You Zhan and Bing Hui
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 6607 | Submission Open
Keywords: pavement friction; skid resistance; pavement texture; tire/road interface; adhesion; wear; surface function; pavement detection
Space Tribology
edited by Wanyou Yang, Wei Song and Shouyi Sun
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4676 | Submission Open
Keywords: spacecraft tribo-testing; tribological performance of spacecraft components; vacuum environment tribology; spacecraft lubrication strategies; contact mechanics in space; surface roughness effects on tribology in space; friction reduction in space applications; space debris tribological interactions; thermal stability of lubricants in space; wear resistance of materials in space environments; solid lubricants for space applications; fluid film lubrication in microgravity; reliability of spacecraft systems under tribological stress; material desigh for space tribological applications; high-temperature tribology in space missions; environmental effects on tribology in space; nano-coatings for enhanced tribological performance in space; tribology in spacecraft propulsion systems; reliability engineering for tribological components in space; experimental methodologies for space tribology research
Sustainable and Advanced Lubrication Strategies for Industrial and Environmental Applications
edited by Hongmei Yang and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1015 | Submission Open
Keywords: novel lubricants; innovative lubrications; surface modifications; hybrid lubrications; monitoring technologies
Recent Advances in Electric Tribology
edited by Wei Cao
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | Viewed by 586 | Submission Open
Keywords: electric structure; electrostatics; electric field; quantum friction; electric dissipation
Tribological Performance of Steels
edited by
submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 581 | Submission Open
Keywords: steel; tribological performance; surface engineering; lubrication; wear mechanisms; wear modes; tribological failures; wear failures; friction reduction; coatings
Machine Design and Tribology submission deadline 30 Nov 2025 | Viewed by 226 | Submission Open
Keywords: machine design; machine elements; tribology; wear; abrasive wear; cavitation erosion wear; lubrication; additive manufacturing; machine learning; optimization
Intelligent Rolling Dynamics: Enhancing Friction and Lubrication in Plate and Strip Mills
edited by Zhiying Gao
submission deadline 1 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3032 | Submission Open
Keywords: rolling process; friction; lubrication; temperature field; process optimization; dynamics; chatter; stability; structural dynamics; dynamical model; rolling mill vibration; dynamical response; signal processing; industrial data-driven; intelligent rolling
Friction and Wear Mechanism Under Extreme Environments
edited by Pengpeng Bai
submission deadline 1 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2790 | Submission Open
Keywords: lubrication; high temperature; friction mechanism; tribology
Tribo-Corrosion: Current Processes, Prevailing Challenges and Future Perspectives
edited by
submission deadline 1 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1980 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribo-corrosion; biological processes; marine renewable energy; turbine blades; coatings; extractive metallurgy
Advances in Tool Wear Monitoring 2025 submission deadline 15 Dec 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 7746 | Submission Open
Keywords: tool wear monitoring; tool wear mechanisms; real-time monitoring; wear rate analysis; sensor technology; machine learning; data analytics; predictive models; prognostics; Internet of Things (IoT); industry 4.0; in situ monitoring; wear estimation; tool life prediction; fault detection; diagnostic techniques; smart manufacturing
Development Trends in Surface Engineering Modification for Improving Tribological Properties of Alloys and Composite Polymer Materials
edited by , George E. Totten and
submission deadline 25 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1908 | Submission Open
Keywords: surface modification; plasma modification; laser treatment; electron beam processing; alloys; polymers; coatings; thin films; tribo-systems; bearings; diffusion layers
Tribology for Lightweighting submission deadline 30 Dec 2025 | 11 articles | Viewed by 33850 | Submission Open
Keywords: Lightweight; Automotive contacts; Vehicle efficiency; E-mobility; Advanced high strength steels; Aluminium; Tribology in manufacturing processes  ; Novel lubricants; Surface integrity; Sustainability; Green tribology
Friction–Vibration Interactions
edited by Guo Xiang and
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 10 articles | Viewed by 16585 | Submission Open
Keywords: interficial mechanics; friction-indcued vibration; tribo-dynamic; mechanical system; key components; numerical study; experimental study
High Performance Machining and Surface Tribology
edited by , and
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 13 articles | Viewed by 14052 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribological properties of metal machined surfaces; tribological properties of EDM surfaces; micro-wear of EDM surfaces; special processing and surface tribology; high-performance machining tools and surface tribology; surface machining signals and tribology; machining vibration signals and surface tribology; machining acoustic signaling and surface tribology; multi-source signal processing and surface tribology; surface and wear characteristics of difficult-to-machine materials; monitoring and quality control of surface wear in high-performance machining; digital-twin applications of high-performance machining; theories; methods; and tools of high-performance machining
Tribological Characteristics of Bearing System, 3rd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 12 articles | Viewed by 11769 | Submission Open
Keywords: bearing; tribology; wear; fatigue characteristics; dynamic characteristics; fault diagnosis
Recent Advances in Tribological Properties of Machine Tools submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 9338 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribology in manufacturing systems; tribology in manufacturing design; tribology in manufacturing efficiency; tribology in vibration and noise; tribology in machine design; tribology in surface damage; bio-lubricants; lubricant degradation; tribological failure diagnosis and monitoring; basic friction and wear; lubricants and lubrication; contact mechanics; surface engineering and coating; material analysis and examination; tribology in machine elements; tribo-chemistry and tribo-corrosion; biotribology; green tribology and sustainability; micro and nano tribology; manufacturing technology; tribotronics and active tribology
Recent Advances in Sealing Technologies
edited by Yan Wang, Qiong Hu, and Wei Zheng
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 5 articles | Viewed by 7055 | Submission Open
Keywords: sealing technology; fluid lubrication; self-impact seal; dry gas seal; tribology
Advances in Lubricated Bearings, 2nd Edition submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 6582 | Submission Open
Keywords: bearing; rolling; sliding; modeling; mixed lubrication; hydrodynamic lubrication; hydrostatic lubrication; journal bearings; thrust bearings; materials; lubricants
Thermal Hydrodynamic Lubrication
edited by Xiaori Liu, Ke Sun and Shuo Liu
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 5 articles | Viewed by 6212 | Submission Open
Keywords: lubrication; heat transfer; fluid mechanics; friction; wear; surface and interaction; industrial tribology; thin-film simulation
Tribological Properties of Soft Materials
edited by Lu Xu, and Baogang Wang
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 6209 | Submission Open
Keywords: soft materials; tribological properties; liquids and liquid dispersions; gels and greases; lubrication mechanisms; tribochemical reactions; lubrication control
Advances in Mixed Lubrication
edited by and Qin Dong
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4203 | Submission Open
Keywords: mixed lubrication; friction; wear; fluid mechanics; contact mechanics; multiphysics modeling; surface texturing; surface roughness; low-friction design; tribological properties
Future of Digital Tribology: Prediction of Tribological Performance Using Sensors, Signal Processing and Machine Learning
edited by Ling Wang, and Kun Yang
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 2984 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribology; digitalization; sensors; data driven; machine learning; artificial intelligence; prediction; remaining useful life
Cast Iron as a Tribological Material
edited by John Walker and Timothy Kamps
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2958 | Submission Open
Keywords: cast iron; tribology; wear; friction; sliding; lubrication; scuffing; graphite; cementite; austempering
Superlubricity Mechanisms and Applications
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2376 | Submission Open
Keywords: liquid superlubricity; solid superlubricity; solid liquid combined superlubricity; superlubricity mechanisms; superlubricity applications
Nonlinear Dynamics of Frictional Systems
edited by Xingbao Huang, , Xiujiang Shi and
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2344 | Submission Open
Keywords: nonlinear dynamics; friction; lubrication; visco-slip vibration; vibration noise; mixed lubrication; rotor friction dynamics; surface modification; corrosion protection; fatigue life
Tribology in Ball Milling: Theory and Applications
edited by Zixin Yin and Tongqing Li
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1905 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribology; wear; ball mill; milling; liner; friction; load behavior; discrete element method
Water Lubricated Bearings
edited by , Jian Huang and
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1539 | Submission Open
Keywords: water lubricated bearings; journal bearings; water lubrication; fluid lubrication; tribology
Tribological Behavior of Wire Rope
edited by and Yu Tang
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1162 | Submission Open
Keywords: wire rope; composite steel belt; friction drive; materials; sliding friction; fretting; wear; lubrication; tribocorrosion; fatigue; mechanical property
Laser-Assisted Surface Modification to Enhance Tribological Performance Under Extreme Conditions
edited by Guangzhi He, , and
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 486 | Submission Open
Keywords: laser processing; surface modification; friction and wear; extreme conditions; coatings and layers; 2D materials and nanomaterials; multi-scale structural characterization
Low Viscosity Medium-Lubricated Bearing
edited by
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 295 | Submission Open
Keywords: plain journal/thrust bearing; lubrication regime; dynamic behaviros; tribological performances; rotor dynamics
Applications and Advances of Ion Beam Surface Modification in Tribology
edited by Jie Jin and Pengzhe Zhu
submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 188 | Submission Open
Keywords: ion beam modification; surface strengthening; ion implantation; functional coatings; tribology; friction and wear control
Erosive Wear of Polymer Composites submission deadline 31 Dec 2025 | Viewed by 158 | Submission Open
Keywords: erosive wear; polymer matrix; composite materials; coatings; manufacturing process
Tribotronics: When Active Friction Control Faces New Challenges
edited by
submission deadline 1 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 396 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribotronics; tribology; friction; industrial systems; vehicles; instruments; devices in biomechanics; home automation
Tribology in Railway Engineering
edited by , Zili Li and
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3047 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribology; railway engineering; wheel– rail interaction; friction; wear; lubrication; surface treatments; braking systems; bearings; high-speed railways
Tribological Behaviour of Borided Surfaces
edited by Rafael Carrera-Espinoza and
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 139 | Submission Open
Keywords: borided materials; friction; wear rate; dry and wet wear; contact mechanics; powder pack technique; gas or plasma technique; surface design; micro characterization; nano characterization
Tribological Behavior of Ceramic Coatings
edited by David Leal Cano and Kudama A. Habib
submission deadline 15 Jan 2026 | Viewed by 127 | Submission Open
Keywords: tribology; nanostructured ceramic coatings; solid/liquid lubricants; self-lubricating coatings; tribofilm; hardness ratio; stribeck curve; friction; wear mechanism
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