Preface to the special section on nano- and mesoscale friction

Abstract

Recent years have seen widespread efforts to understand the mechanisms of friction and tribology in micrometric structures (mesoscale) down to the realm of atoms and molucules (nanoscale) with the ultimate goal of controlling friction, adhesion and wear by design. This research has generrated an interdisciplinary scientific area, nanotribology, with great potential impact on technology and everyday life. Applications include safety, economy, life quality, energy and material saving, toward a sustainable development. Europe has a strong scientific nanotribology community encompassing physics, materials science, chemistry, earth and life sciences, and including academic and industrial research alike. This community has been expanding and collaborating for the past decades. The present special issue showcases some of the work developed in this community.