ABSTRACT
Tribology is the "ology" or science of "tribein." The word comes from the same Greek root as "tribulation." A faithful translation defines tribology as the study of rubbing or sliding. The modern and broadest meaning is the study of friction, lubrication, and wear. Tribological knowledge in written form is expanding at a considerable rate but is mostly only exchanged among researchers in the field. With the explosive growth of search engines, a Google search of tribology related key words will return hundreds of pages listing publications – a bewildering amount of information! There are probably 500 trade journals that carry occasional articles on some aspect of tribology in addition to many online publications. Many new books appear each year in the field, some of which may contain the word "tribology" in the title, while others may cover coatings, contact mechanics, lubricant chemistry, and other related topics.
