Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes the recent trends in tribology concerning scientifically sophisticated topics, particularly tribocatalysis, selected fragments of tribochemistry and tribocorrosion. It presents a brief description of typical physical tribological phenomena and their significance for tribochemistry and mechanochemistry. The book discusses the main concepts and features of mechanochemistry and tribochemistry disciplines. Both relate to chemistry induced by mechanical action combined with chemical phenomena leading to initiation of heterogeneous chemical reactions. Mechanochemistry is a coupling of specific mechanical and chemical phenomena on a molecular scale leading to initiation of heterogeneous chemical reactions due to specific mechanical bond breakage of the molecules. The book demonstrates an approach to the triggering process of mechanochemical/tribochemical reactions of the water molecule and various lubricant molecules. It discusses a kinetic theory of the breakdown of solids, which is based on an experimentally established relationship between the life times of the material.