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Tribological Analysis and Predictive Modeling of Advanced Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Simulation and Design".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 3827

Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea
Interests: mechanical wear analysis; tribological modeling; contact mechanics; durability assessment; multi-scale wear prediction; surface engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The past two decades have witnessed remarkable progress in understanding mechanical wear mechanisms and the development of predictive modeling approaches for advanced materials. The increasing demands for reliable performance in aerospace, automotive, and biomedical applications have driven intensive research into wear phenomena, from nanoscale–surface interactions to macroscale component degradation.

The advancement of computational modeling techniques, particularly finite element analysis and molecular dynamics simulations, has revolutionized our ability to predict wear behavior and optimize material performance. These predictive capabilities enable researchers to understand complex wear mechanisms, predict component lifetime, and design materials with enhanced wear resistance through accurate modeling of contact mechanics, stress distribution, and material removal processes.

Recent breakthroughs in wear analysis include sophisticated durability assessment methodologies, advanced surface characterization techniques for wear quantification, and multi-scale modeling approaches that bridge atomic-level interactions with engineering-scale applications. The integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence with traditional wear modeling has opened new possibilities for predictive maintenance and real-time wear monitoring systems.

Contemporary challenges in mechanical wear analysis focus on developing comprehensive models that account for multiple wear mechanisms, environmental effects, and material degradation under complex loading conditions. The need for accurate wear prediction in extreme environments, such as space applications and high-temperature systems, drives the development of advanced modeling frameworks.

This Special Issue will compile cutting-edge research in mechanical wear analysis and modeling of advanced materials. Topics include wear mechanism identification and quantification, finite element modeling of contact and wear processes, durability prediction methodologies, multi-scale wear modeling approaches, experimental validation of wear models, tribological testing and characterization techniques, wear behavior under extreme conditions, and computational frameworks for wear analysis.

We particularly encourage submissions that advance fundamental understanding of wear mechanisms through modeling and provide validated predictive tools for engineering applications.

Dr. Sung-Jun Lee
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • tribological modeling
  • contact mechanics
  • advanced surface coatings
  • wear resistance mechanisms
  • finite element analysis
  • mechanical durability assessment
  • durability prediction
  • multi-scale analysis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 5050 KB  
Article
Control of Friction Laws in Tangential Adhesive Contacts by Surface Geometry
by Josefine Fritsch-Wilhayn, Khudoyar Buranov, Qiang Li, Ken Nakano and Valentin L. Popov
Materials 2026, 19(8), 1549; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081549 - 13 Apr 2026
Viewed by 768
Abstract
Adhesive quasi-static tangential contact between a rigid indenter and a linearly viscoelastic half-space is investigated numerically using the Boundary Element Method. The indenter geometry is described by a power-law profile including parabolic (n = 2), conical (n = 1), and sharp-tip [...] Read more.
Adhesive quasi-static tangential contact between a rigid indenter and a linearly viscoelastic half-space is investigated numerically using the Boundary Element Method. The indenter geometry is described by a power-law profile including parabolic (n = 2), conical (n = 1), and sharp-tip (n = 1/2) indenters. Adhesion is incorporated through a stress-based detachment criterion with effective works of adhesion derived from an energetic approach for quasi-static viscoelastic contacts. During sliding, elements at the leading edge of the contact attach, while those at the trailing edge detach. Due to the viscoelastic response of the material, adhesion at the leading edge is weak, whereas adhesion at the trailing edge is significantly stronger. This asymmetry generates a tangential force acting at the contact boundary. Numerical simulations performed for different ratios of the shear moduli G0/G1 show that the friction force strongly depends on the indenter geometry and follows different power-law relations to the normal force: a one-third power for parabolic indenters, a square-root dependence for conical indenters, and a two-thirds power for sharp-tip indenters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribological Analysis and Predictive Modeling of Advanced Materials)
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15 pages, 5991 KB  
Article
Effect of TiO2 Nanoparticle Addition on the Tribological Properties of CNT Coatings
by Sung-Jun Lee, Dae-Gyun Nam and Chang-Lae Kim
Materials 2025, 18(22), 5092; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18225092 - 9 Nov 2025
Viewed by 2632
Abstract
Carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings show excellent tribological properties but face challenges in dispersion and industrial application. This study investigated TiO2 nanoparticle incorporation effects on CNT coating tribological performance. CNT/TiO2 composite coatings with varying TiO2 content (0.5–2.0 wt.%) were fabricated on [...] Read more.
Carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings show excellent tribological properties but face challenges in dispersion and industrial application. This study investigated TiO2 nanoparticle incorporation effects on CNT coating tribological performance. CNT/TiO2 composite coatings with varying TiO2 content (0.5–2.0 wt.%) were fabricated on SUS 304 substrates via spin coating. Surface morphology, roughness, wettability, and tribological properties were characterized using confocal microscopy, SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and reciprocating friction tests. Results showed that low TiO2 concentrations (0.5–0.7 wt.%) achieved optimal performance. The C3-Ti0.5 specimen maintained substrate-level smoothness (Ra = 0.09 μm) while preserving coating integrity. Raman analysis confirmed structural preservation of CNTs (ID/IG ≈ 1.0) across all formulations. Tribologically, C3-Ti0.5 exhibited a friction coefficient of 0.099, approaching pure CNT coating performance (0.090), with a wear rate of 9.00 × 10−7 mm3/N·mm. Higher TiO2 concentrations progressively degraded performance, with C3-Ti2 showing increased friction (0.263) and wear rate (2.87 × 10−6 mm3/N·mm). The 0.5–0.7 wt.% TiO2 range represents optimal composition for applications requiring both smooth surface finish and superior tribological performance, particularly for precision mechanical components where surface quality and friction control are equally critical. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tribological Analysis and Predictive Modeling of Advanced Materials)
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