Book excerpt: This handbook seeks to present authoritative coverage of tribology, including: physics of materials; an overview of soft, solid-lubricants and hard, wear-resistant coatings and their deposition techniques; and surface treatment techniques and the latest engineering specifications. It provides data, mostly in tabular form, on friction and wear characteristics of bulk materials, allowing the user to decide the appropriate course of action for selecting the proper coating material, as well as surface treatment techniques for maximum friction and wear reduction.