We have investigated the lubrication alignment behavior of point-plane contact and plane-plane contact between the GCr15 steel and polyimide (PI) friction pair using nematic liquid crystals (LCs) as the lubricant. In this system, rubbing orients the macromolecular PI molecules, and the oriented PI molecules induce alignment of the LC molecules in contact with or close to the oriented PI molecules. The LC molecules are aligned in the wear scar grooves of the PI film, and alignment extends to the GCr15-steel counterpart. Alignment of the LC molec...