This article discusses the properties, behaviors, and uses of cobalt and its alloys. It explains how cobalt alloys are categorized and describes the commercial designations and grades that are available. It also provides composition information and explains how alloying elements and carbides affect toughness, hardness, ductility, and strength as well as resistance to heat, corrosion, and wear.

This chapter discusses the basic principles of friction and the factors that must be considered when determining its effect on moving bodies in contact. It provides an extensive amount of friction data, including static and kinetic friction coefficients for numerous combinations of engineering materials and coatings. It also describes the causes and effects of the most common forms of wear, the conditions under which they occur, the role of lubrication, and wear testing methods.