International Collaboration and Exchange Program
of the State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment (SKLT)
(Revised in July, 2025)
I. Introduction to the Laboratory
The State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment (hereinafter referred to as "the Laboratory") has its roots in the State Key Laboratory of Tribology, which was established in 1988. Following preparatory reforms initiated in 2018, the Laboratory received official approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China for its redevelopment on May 24, 2022.
The Laboratory is committed to exploring the fundamental laws and mechanisms that govern the service behavior of motion interfaces in advanced equipment, as well as promoting the forward design theory of interface performance. Its research centers on applied basic science, specifically focusing on the behavior of motion interfaces under extreme conditions. The Laboratory strives to drive major original innovations by introducing novel concepts, principles, and methodologies, thereby building a sustainable capacity for pioneering scientific and technological progress.
II. Principle for the establishment of the International Exchange Program
The State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment (SKLT) operates as an open research platform, extending a warm welcome to scholars from both domestic and international backgrounds. In line with the laboratory's core operational tenets of openness, mobility, collaboration, and competition, and with the aim of promoting academic exchange and cooperation with preeminent global researchers in relevant fields, the Laboratory has instituted an International Collaboration and Exchange Program. This program offers financial support to international scholars and researchers, enabling them to undertake joint research endeavors and engage in academic exchanges at the Laboratory.
Each year, the Laboratory issues an open call for project proposals under this program. Those proposals that secure approval from the Academic Committee will be eligible for financial assistance and granted access to the Laboratory's cutting-edge research facilities. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to thoroughly examine these guidelines prior to submitting their proposals.
III. Proposed Funding Scope
The laboratory is engaged in both fundamental and applied fundamental research, with a primary focus on two major research directions: core interface technology for advanced equipment and forward design theory. For the year 2025, priority funding will be allocated to research endeavors within the following five technical domains: Tribology Theory and Technology; Mechanical Surface/Interface Science and Performance Control; Biotribology and Biomedical Machinery; Micro/Nano Manufacturing Theory and Technology; and Design and Manufacturing Technology for Key Components of Transportation and Energy Equipment.
1.Tribology Theory and Technology
Includes: friction, wear and lubrication; nanotribology; theories and technologies pertaining to thin film and molecular film lubrication; friction control; tribochemistry; wear mechanisms and control techniques, etc.
2.Mechanical Surface/Interface Science and Technology
Includes: surface topography design and effects; surface/interface behavior; surface coatings and thin films; sealing technologies; mechanical vibration and control; intelligent machinery, etc.
3.Biotribology and Biomedical Machinery
Includes: biomechanics; bionics and biotribology; biomedical machinery, etc.
4.Micro/Nano Manufacturing Theory and Technology
Includes: nano-precision manufacturing equipment and technology; atomic-level smooth surface preparation technology; mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of micromachined materials; design theory, manufacturing and control technologies for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), etc.
5.Design and Manufacturing Technology for Key Components of Transportation and Energy Equipment
Includes: design and manufacturing technology for aero-engine main bearings; wear-resistant coatings and sealing technology suitable for wide temperature ranges; flexible manufacturing technology and equipment for aerospace structures, etc.
To effectively provide research support and foster disciplinary development, two priority funding categories have been established for research directions within these five technical areas:
A. Priority Funding Areas:
Includes: nano-precision manufacturing equipment and processes; atomic-level smooth surface preparation technologies; lubrication mechanisms and materials; biomedical equipment; interface adhesion and control; tribology theory and technology under extreme operating conditions; tribology of key fundamental components.
B. Encouraged Research Areas:
Includes: high-efficiency lubricant additives; friction-reducing, wear-resistant, and friction materials; novel principles, methods, and technologies for friction and wear control; biotribology; high-temperature tribology and high-temperature lubricating materials; tribology and its environment implications; tribology in manufacturing processes.
IV. Application Requirements
1.Funding Recipients
1) This project is specifically designed for scholars affiliated with foreign universities and research institutions, with a preference for supporting outstanding young and middle-aged foreign scientific researchers (primarily those under the age of 50).
2) Applicants are required to submit joint applications in collaboration with permanent staff members of this laboratory. Each permanent staff member is limited to collaborating with only one applicant per year.
3) The number of international cooperation projects currently undertaken by the applicant and their co-applicant within the laboratory must not exceed one.
2. Funding Type
Each grant will be approximately 200,000-yuan RMB, with a project implementation period of three years.
3. Application Procedures
All applicants for this International Collaboration and Exchange programs must complete the project application form (see Attachment 1). The electronic version of the fully filled-out application form should be emailed to the secretary of the Academic Committee. (Note: All application materials must be sent directly by the applicant via email to skltfund@163.com, with a copy also sent to their co-applicant within the laboratory. Application files should be uniformly named as follows: Applicant's Name + Institution + SKLT Collaborator's Name + 2025 Application). Applications are accepted once annually, with the submission deadline set for August 31st each year. All applications will undergo review by the Academic Committee of the State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, and applicants will be notified of the review results via email before December 31st of the same year.
V. Project Implementation and Management
1. Once a project is approved, the permanent laboratory staff shall work in tandem with the project Principal Investigator (PI/Applicant) to implement the project and manage fund utilization. All expenditure invoices generated during project execution must bear the joint signatures of both the PI and the designated permanent laboratory staff member, and must be duly recorded with the laboratory administrator before reimbursement can be processed.
2.The project funds shall be primarily allocated for covering machine-hour fees related to the use of instruments and equipment, as well as material expenses incurred at the laboratory. A portion of the funds may also be allocated to cover publication and printing costs for academic papers.
3.Project funds may be allocated to cover travel expenses incurred by project team members for collaborative visits to the laboratory, as well as to provide stipend support for international visiting scholars. The combined expenditure for these purposes shall not exceed 25% of the total grant allocation.
4.The approved funds are exclusively designated for utilization by the research team under the project principal investigator's supervision and shall not be loaned, transferred, or otherwise diverted in any manner.
5.Throughout the project duration, the Principal Investigator (PI/Applicant) and project team members are required to conduct a minimum of two working visits to the laboratory for research collaboration. These visits shall result in tangible joint research outcomes, including co-authored publications with the laboratory's permanent research staff. All research outcome must include the acknowledgment: This project is supported by State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment (No. xxxxxx)”. A final project report must be submitted within one month after the completion of the project.
VI. Contact
Contact: The State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment
Address: Room A423, Lee Shaw Kee Science& Technology Building, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing
Postal Code: 100084
Email: skltfund@163.com
Phone: 010-62771756
