Tribology: Lubricants & Lubrication

In the past decades, significant advances in tribology have been made as engineers strive to develop more reliable and high performance products. The advancements are mainly driven by the evolution of computational techniques and experimental characterization that leads to a thorough understanding of tribological process on both macro- and microscales. Tribology comprises the fields of friction, wear and lubrication. It aims at the functional, economical and ecological optimization of motion systems. The implementation of tribological knowledge results in a reduction of wear and an optimization of friction systems. The operational reliability of machines and installations is increased, production costs are reduced, resources and energy are saved and emissions are decreased. Tribology is particularly important in todays world because so much energy is lost to friction in mechanical components. To use less energy, we need to minimize the amount that is wasted. Significant energy is lost due to friction in sliding interfaces. Therefore, finding ways to minimize friction and wear through new technologies in tribology is critical to a greener and more sustainable world. This book presents a comprehensive overview on recent progress on the hydrodynamic lubrication analysis and the lubrication tests for biodegradable lubricants.