Prof. Xue Qunji, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the Academic Committee of the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been awarded the highest tribology prize during the 9th National Tribology Conference and the 30th Anniversary of the Founding of the Conference held from 18th to 20th, October.

Prof. Xue was invited to deliver the plenary talk entitled “General Introduction of Lubricating Materials Science and Technology”, which reviewed the development history of the lubricating materials science and technology, formation of modern lubrication science and technology, development of the fluid lubrication theory and of tribochemistry, trends of the lubricating materials science and technology, etc. In addition, the latest research progress in space lubricating materials, solid lubricating materials, nano-lubricating materials was also introduced in the talk.

Prof. Xue is one of the top academic leaders in material chemistry and special lubricating materials in China. During his 40 years’ research into polymer tribology, ceramic friction and lubrication, nano-material and tribology, addictive tribochemistry, design and preparation of new lubricating materials, etc, he has accumulated abundant experience and reached a high academic level and fostered a group of young scientific personnel who are engaged in tribology. He has contributed greatly to promoting the application of space lubricating materials, ultra-low temperature gear lubricating materials, special lubricating, antifouling and noise-reducing coatings for ocean environment, energy-saving lubricant addictives, lubricating materials containing rear earth in aerospace, aviation and other high-tech nation major engineering areas.

Tribology is a basic and engineering technical discipline which covers a wide range of fields and takes the frication, wear and lubrication universally existing in nature as research objects. With saving resources and energy, protecting ecological environment and raising the quality of life as the goal, the subject is also an applied subject with strong practicality. Tribological technology involves many areas of national economy and has contributed a lot to the resources, energy, and environment problems China is now facing.

The aim of the highest tribology prize, established by the Tribology Institute of Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society, is to commend those individuals have made significant contributions to tribology. The prize is awarded every four years and no more than 4 people are awarded the prize each year.