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    The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

    Tribology Division

    Tribology Division (TRIB) is established to serve the members and associate members of the ASME who have designated their interest in the science & technology of Tribology.

    About

    The Tribology Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is established to serve the members and associate members of the ASME who have designated their interest in the science & technology of Tribology. The field of Tribology includes the analysis of friction, wear, lubrication phenomena and the application of such principles to mechanical design, product development, manufacturing processes & machine operation.

    The objectives of the Division, which serve as the basis for its committees, include:

    • Gathering & disseminating knowledge in Tribology through all forms of publication
    • Organizing knowledge in Tribology for educational purposes
    • Exchanging knowledge in Tribology through personal interaction at technical expositions
    • Encouraging a cooperative exchange of ideas in Tribology between the industrial & academic communities
    • Informing the membership of collaborative opportunities with the international Tribology community
    • Publicizing noteworthy accomplishments of the members
    • Identifying & promoting opportunities for research & development in Tribology

    Events

    Upcoming Events: 

    Tribology August 2026 Webinar: Formation and Manipulation of Wear-Induced Nanostructures in Polymers and Layered Materials

    Friday, August 21, 2026
    1 - 2 PM ET

    Register now: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b1ae3d48-f03c-49b2-866d-a245945abc21@9faf2b86-ac54-4778-bedc-85309a3f0772

    Enrico Gnecco(1), Paweł Koczanowski(1), Juan J. Mazo(2), and Paolo Nicolini(3)
    (1) Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
    (2) Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
    (3) Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic

    In this contribution, I will review our recent results on the formation of nanostructures from polymers and layered materials induced by the repeated scraping action of a sharp AFM tip. In the former case, the most prominent finding is the emergence of ripple patterns, from which nanoplastics are extruded and ultimately released into the environment. In the latter case, the dominant process is instead the exfoliation of nanoscale flakes, which remain robustly attached to the substrate.
    The common denominator of these two phenomena is the stick–slip motion of the nanotip. Its relationship with the resulting wear structures has been investigated through an original extension of the Prandtl–Tomlinson model for polymer systems and, respectively, through a standard “block-and-spring” model supported by molecular dynamics simulations for layered materials.
    Our results highlight the fundamental role of nanoscale frictional instabilities in driving wear mechanisms and in determining the morphology and fate of tribologically generated nanostructures. Beyond their relevance for fundamental nanotribology, our findings may have important implications for controlling wear processes, understanding the environmental impact of nanoplastic generation, and designing more durable and sustainable polymeric and layered-material interfaces.

    REFERENCES
    [1] J. Hennig, A. Litschko, J. J. Mazo, E. Gnecco, Nucleation and detachment of polystyrene nanoparticles from plowing-induced surface wrinkling, Appl. Surf. Sci. Adv. 6 (2021) 100148
    [2] J. J. Mazo, P. J. Martinez, P. Pedraz, J. Hennig, E. Gnecco, Plowing-Induced Structuring of Compliant Surfaces, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122 (2020) 256101
    [3] P. Koczanowski, P. Nicolini, H. Khaksar, E. Gnecco, Avalanche Dynamics in Stick-Slip Cutting of Molybdenum Disulfide, Small 21 (2025) e10186

    Presenter: 
    Enrico Gnecco is a professor of physics. He heads the nanomechanics group at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Genoa, and, before moving to Poland, he held research positions at the University of Basel and IMDEA Nanoscience in Madrid, as well as a professorship in mechanics of functional materials at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. His research focuses on the fundamental physical mechanisms governing surface phenomena—including friction, wear, and adhesion—at the atomic scale. To investigate these processes, he combines advanced microscopy techniques, such as AFM, SEM and TEM, with theoretical and computational modeling in collaboration with international research groups. While fundamentally oriented, this work has applications ranging from solid lubrication and tactile sensing to the study of environmental issues associated with the generation and release of nanoparticles from surfaces undergoing abrasive or plastic wear. As of June 2026, he is Editor-in-Chef of Surface Review and Letters.
     
    More coming soon in the meantime, check out our recorded webinars are available under the Resources Tab.

    Honors & Awards

    Recognition of outstanding achievement in engineering is one of the major objectives of ASME. Through its programs of honors and awards, ASME recognizes outstanding contributions to the art and science of engineering.

    Society Awards

    • Mayo D. Hersey Award
      Award is bestowed on an individual in recognition of distinguished and continued contributions over a substantial period of time to the advancement of the science and engineering of tribology.
    • Burt L. Newkirk Award
      It is given to one who has made a notable contribution to the field of tribology in research or development as evidenced by important tribology publications.
    • Marshall B. Peterson Award
      The Marshall P. Peterson Award is given biennially in recognition of an early-career achievement and promise for pursuit of research in tribology.

    Division Awards

     

    Important Award Information For Recipients of Monetary Awards

    Please note that honorariums cannot be distributed without receipt of applicable tax forms. If you are a recipient of a monetary award, you will be contacted by ASME staff regarding tax forms you will need to complete, as well as how to submit them to us.

    Leadership

    2026-2027 Division Executive Committee
    Chair, Bharat Bhushan
    Vice Chair, Prof. Robert “Drew” Fleming
    Secretary, Dr. John F. Curry
    Member (Webinars), Prof. Mehmet Z. Baykara
    Member (Education), Prof. Filippo Mangolini
    Communications & Outreach, Prof. Jeremy Wagner
    Communications & Outreach, Prof. Prof. Mitjan Kalin
    Staff Liaison, April Tone - Sr. Manager, TEC Operations

    Links

    Links to helpful online resources related to the division are below. If you have suggestions for other resources, please contact the division chair or ASME staff.

    • ASME Landmarks Program
      Landmarks, sites and collections of historic importance to mechanical engineering are designated by ASME through its History and Heritage Landmarks Program.
    • ASME History and Heritage
      ASME fosters the preservation of mechanical engineering innovations used in a wide range of applications through its History and Heritage program.

    Other Links of Interest

    U.S. Based Organizations

    U.S. Government Agencies and Departments

    Others


    Publications

    Resources

    We are committed to organizing education in mechanical engineering surrounding Tribology technical areas. Below is the latest event sponsored by the division.

    On the Mercurial Behavior of Ionic Liquids at Sliding Interfaces
    by: Filippo Mangolini, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin

    Friction and nanoscale wear of stiff multi-contact interfaces (video coming soon)
    By: Bart Weber, Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography

    "Structural Superlubricity under Ambient Conditions: A Path to Practical Mechanical Systems with Vanishing Friction" presented by: Mehmet Z. Baykara, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Merced, USA

    2D MXenes: Tunable Mechanical and Tribological Properties presented by: Andreas Rosenkranz, Department of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Materials, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile


    Vehicle Fluids - New Tribology Challenges
    By: Dr. Peter Lee, Southwest Research Institute 

    Nanoparticle suspension for energy efficiency

    by: Jacqueline Krim, Physics Department, North Carolina State University

     

    Elucidating the Atomic-scale Mechanisms respobsible for Adhesion, Friction and Tribochemistry using Computer Simulations

    by: Dr. Judith A Harrison, U.S. Naval Academy

    Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable E-Mobility: Recent Progress and Future Prospects

    by: Ali Erdemir, J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M

    Strategies & Approaches for Tribological Phenomena Understanding
    by: Sylvie Descartes (Dr. -Ing, HDR)

    Lessons from Nature: Bioinspired Mechanically Durable and Self-healing Superliquiphilic/phobic Surfaces
    By: Dr. Bharat Bhushan, Tribology Division Chair
    Tribology TEC Talk  (video viewable by ASME members only)
    Tribology TEC Talk Slides


    High-Efficiency Low-Tocixity Ionic Liquids as Lubrican Additioves#
    Presented by Jun Qui - Materials Science & Technology Division, Oak Ridget National Laboratory
    Presentation Slides: ASME-TD-Seminar-2024-1-29

    Recent Developments in Synthesis and Process-Structure-Performance Understanding of MoS2 Thin Films

    by: Michael T. Dugger, Sandia National Laboratories

    Lubrication of Innovative Engineered Bearings and Industrial Motion Components
    by: Dr. Ali Erdimir, Professor and Halliburton Chair in Engineering in the Mechanical Engineering Department of Texas A&M University

    Seeing the Hidden Interface: Revealing Nanoscale Mechanisms of Contact, Adhesion, and Friction by in situ Experiments
    by: R.W. Carpick, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania

    The Tribology of Touch 
    Cynthia Hipwell, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University

    In-Situ SEM Tribological Testing of 3D-Printed Micro/Nano-Textured Surfaces
    by: Mahyar Afshar-Mohajer, University of Arkansas

    Tribocorrosion Aspects of Biomedical Implants: Where are we now?
    by: Dr. Mathew Mathew, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago

    Electrical Contact and Lubrication
    Dr. Robert Jackson, Auburn University

    Wear mechanisms or the relations of microstructure and wear in metals
    by: Dr. Stefanie Hanke, Tribology Division Secretary

    Towards a Predictive Understanding of the Effect of Surface Topography on Surface Properties
    By: Tevis D. B. Jacobs

    Nature’s Multiscale Design and Smart Manufacturing of Materials
    By: Xiaodong (Chris) Li

    Molecular dynamics simulations: What are they and why tribologists should care
    By: Dr. Ashlie Martini