Corrosion, friction and wear protection are of great importance in researchand development of new engineering materials. Ceramic materials exhibiting an extraordinary hardness are often first choice in applications of high mechanical stress.In this reference work the different application areas of these hard materials are discussed as well as the chemical and physical basics of these special material properties. The book is of high importance especially for materials scientists and engineers, solid-state chemists and physicists involved in the research and development of new ceramic hard materials and coatings.