Friction, lubrication and wear: a survey of work during the last decade

TLDR

Over the past decade, progress has been made in understanding the processes of friction, lubrication, and wear. This survey highlights the most significant recent work rather than providing an exhaustive encyclopedia. The review first discusses broad issues of unlubricated surface friction, then examines specific research that has opened new lines of inquiry.

Abstract

This article describes the progress that has been made during the last decade in our understanding of the processes involved in friction, lubrication and wear. It does not pretend to be an encyclopedic survey - that would be a bore - but summarizes work that seems to us to be of greatest significance. The first section deals primarily with the broader issues underlying the friction of unlubricated surfaces. The second section deals with specific items of research, many of which have opened up new lines of attack. The third, for completeness, deals with lubrication and wear, but this part is brief; it merits a full article in its own right.