The present study is aimed at determining whether or not tribopolymerisation can occur under conditions of fretting contact. Using a high contact stress system consisting of oscillating metal balls loaded against flat steel discs, effects of various monomers on friction, wear, and surface film formation were determined. Monomers were used at 1% concentration in hexadecane. Under the conditions used (9ON load,40 Hz frequency, 300 Fm amplitude, for 1 hour), the monomers tested reduced friction or wear or both. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis of the test specimens showed that organic material is presented in the wear scars and depends on the metal system used, the monomer structure, location within the track, and the method of cleaning the surface after a test. With Al-on-steel, the addition of 1% styrene to hexadecane reduced volumetric wear of the disc by 65%; furthermore, positive FTIR evidence of polystyrene in the wear track was obtained. But a diner acidlglycol monomer formed metal soaps, no polymer, and had little effect on wear under these conditions. These results support the hypotheses that addition-type tribopolymerisation can be initiated by exoelectron emission. Additionally, it was found that not only does methyl methacrylate polymerise under the fretting conditions, but the polymer film formed also reacts with the friction contact surface.Taken as a whole, the results of this study of possible tribopolymerisation under fretting conditions support both major hypotheses, namely that: (i) for condensation-type monomers, the most important factor is the temperature of the rubbing surfaces. (it) For addition-type monomers, it would appear that the effect of exoelectron emission can initiate surface polymerisation even at relatively low surface temperatures, e.g., 10-40°C above ambient. This is in agreement with the negative-ion-radical action mechanism ( N I M ) of boundary lubricant component. Finally, the results obtained in this study demonstrate that the principle of tribopolymerisation developed by Furey and Kajdas can be used as a novel and effective approach to designing specific molecular structures for boundary lubrication under various rubbing conditions. Abstract tribopolymerisation, monomers, fretting, rubbing, contact, exoelectron emission. FTlRM