Abstract: Friction and wear occur in everywhere, which are closely related to our life. In this paper, the foundation and development of tribology are briefly introduced, and the commonly used lubricating materials with some corresponding applications are also summarized. Many efforts have been made to improve the lubrication and antiwear properties of lubricating materials. Additionally, synthetic oils can be designed to be more effectively used in different environmental conditions, expected to replace mineral oil at many areas for more benefits such as economic applicability. Solid lubricating materials play an irreplaceable role in aerospace engineering and military area due to their good resistance to high temperature, high radiation, high vacuum, and so forth. With the progress of modern industry, physical chemistry, tribological properties and biodegradation performance of lubricating materials must meet the challenges put forward by the complicated environment and severe condition.