Tribology International conference 2026 main topics include:
Fundamentals of Tribology & Advanced Surfaces
- Surface engineering in tribology and coatings
- Tribo-chemistry and tribo-surfaces
- Coatings, surface modifications, plasma-treated surfaces, and underlying mechanisms
- Wear, friction, and contact mechanics
- Nano-tribology and atomic-scale interactions
- Advanced metamaterials, bio-inspired, and self-healing surfaces
Sustainable & Green Tribology
- Bio-based and biodegradable lubricants and additives
- Low-toxicity and zero-pollution tribological materials and coatings
- Circular economy approaches: recyclability, refurbishing, and reusability
- Life-cycle assessment of tribological systems, coatings, and interfaces
- Reducing micro-particle and tribo-dust emissions
Tribology in Energy & Climate-Resilient Systems
- Tribology for renewable energy: wind, solar, tidal, and wave technologies
- Hydrogen-compatible materials, coatings, and lubricants
- Friction and wear in battery manufacturing and electric vehicles
- Durability of materials under extreme climates and environments
- Corrosion–wear interactions in marine, offshore, and plasma-treated systems
Digitalisation, Modelling & Smart Tribology
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in tribology and coatings
- Digital twins of tribological systems and surfaces
- Real-time monitoring and embedded sensing technologies
- Modelling and simulation across scales (nano to macro)
- Data-driven materials, coatings, and lubricant design
Health, Safety & Industrial Impact
- Bio-tribology and biomimetics
- Health impacts of lubricants, wear particles, and additives
- Safer-by-design tribological materials and coatings (REACH compliance, toxicity reduction)
- Tribology in manufacturing processes, industrial systems, and plasma applications
- Occupational exposure, regulations, and environmental health
Testing, Measurement & Methodologies
- New test methodologies and tribological standards for surfaces and coatings
- In situ and operando tribology measurements
- Multi-scale and multi-physics approaches
- Accelerated testing for industrial applications
- Benchmarking of coatings, lubricants, interfaces, and surfaces
In addition to the main conference sessions covering the above event topics, potential focus sessions and EU projects workshops are planned.
