Rolling-contact fatigue (RCF) is a common failure mode in components subjected to rolling or rolling-sliding contact. This article provides a basic understanding of RCF and a broad overview of materials and manufacturing techniques commonly used in industry to improve component life. A brief discussion on coatings to improve surface-initiated fatigue and wear is included, due to the similarity to RCF and the increasing criticality of this failure mode. The article presents a working knowledge of Hertzian contact theory, describes the life prediction of rolling-element bearings, and provides information on physics and testing of rolling-contact fatigue. Processes commonly used to produce bearings for demanding applications are also covered.

Corrosive wear is defined as surface damage caused by wear in a corrosive environment, involving combined attacks from wear and corrosion. This article begins with a discussion on several typical forms of corrosive wear encountered in industry, followed by a discussion on mechanisms for corrosive wear. Next, the article explains testing methods and characterization of corrosive wear. Various factors that influence corrosive wear are then covered. The article concludes with general guidelines for material selection against corrosive wear.

Polymer materials are key building blocks of the modern world, commonly used in packaging, automobiles, building materials, electronics, telecommunications, and many other industries. These commercial applications of polymeric materials would not be possible without the use of additives. This article is divided into five sections: mechanical property modifiers, physical property modifiers, biological function modifiers, processing aids, and colorants. It describes three classes of additives that are used to inhibit biological activity, six classes of mechanical property modifiers, three classes of physical property modifiers, and two classes of both colorants and processing aids.