Voices in the US. 

A common challenge in tribology research is that behaviour observed in the lab doesn’t always translate cleanly to real systems. Dr Pranjal Nautiyal, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Oklahoma State University, focuses on understanding why this gap exists. His work examines friction, wear, and bonding at material interfaces across length scales, with the aim of designing materials and lubricants that can perform under demanding conditions. In this Q&A, Pranjal discusses how tribology research is changing, what makes realistic testing difficult, and how new technologies are shaping the questions researchers are now asking. 

Could you briefly describe your research focus and the kinds of tribology questions you’re most drawn to? 

I work at the intersection of materials science, solid mechanics, and surface science to understand interfacial phenomena in materials under extreme conditions. We use in-situ experimental techniques to study the fundamental mechanisms of friction, wear, deformation, and bonding at interfaces – from atomic to macroscopic length scales. The overarching motivation is to design tribological materials and lubricants that can perform in extreme environments.   

Compared with a few years ago, what feels different about how tribology research is being done now? 

Advances in nanotechnology tools and improved theoretical approaches have greatly enhanced our understanding of friction and wear mechanisms. More recently, data-driven modeling has started to allow predictions of tribological behavior. 

When you try to study more realistic contacts or conditions, what’s usually the hardest part in practice? 

One major challenge is the lack of tools that can accurately replicate real-world contact conditions. Observations made in lab tribometers often don’t translate directly to applications like gearboxes; so extensive testing from lab to component scale is required. This makes it difficult to quickly adopt new materials and lubricants in the industry.   

How are new formulations, materials, and changing performance requirements influencing the kinds of tribology questions researchers are trying to answer now? 

Technologies like electrified transportation, clean energy, and space exploration are creating new tribological challenges. Traditional materials and lubricants are often insufficient for these unique conditions—for example, understanding how stray electrical currents affect wear of coatings and tribochemistry of lubricant additives in electrified drivetrains remains an open question. Addressing these technological challenges increasingly requires interdisciplinary collaborations. 

Outro  

Pranjal’s perspective underlines a recurring issue in tribology research: understanding mechanisms is only part of the challenge if those insights can’t be carried through to real systems. As new materials, formulations, and operating environments place greater demands on interfaces, the ability to study realistic conditions becomes increasingly important. PCS Instruments works with researchers facing these challenges to support experimental approaches that better connect insight with applied performance.