Tribofilms come in many varieties; they form on steel surfaces, on brake pads, on rock drills and on ceramic surface coatings. Wide spectrums of physical, chemical and mechanical operations are active in their formation. The materials formed are typically amorphous or nano-crystalline and may have distinctively different friction and wear properties than the substrates they are formed on. In this way most materials will distinctively change their properties while in use. The more we learn about the decisive processes, the better means we get to tailor materials, coatings and lubricants that promote the formation, and replenishment of friction reducing or wear protective films.
