Towards a methodical framework for the design of functional surfaces in circular automotive engineering

This paper proposes a methodical framework for developing functional surfaces and coatings for circular automotive applications. It addresses three gaps: the missing classification of surface mechanisms, limited empirical PSPP models, and the lack of an integrated link between microstructural surface design and system-level development. The framework connects top-down design with bottom-up materials engineering, introduces working-principle analogues in design catalogues, and offers the use of DoE and sensitivity analysis to build predictive PSPP models.