I'm looking for real-world examples - supported by evidence - of how
the science of 'tribopolymerization' has worked as an anti-wear
mechanism in a vapor phase application. (I am not interested in liquid
additives, ceramics working against ceramics or alloys, or internal
combustion engine applications.)

You'll probably want the fact sheet  "Tribopolymerization as an
Antiwear Mechanism " from the Department of Energy. See
http://www.oit.doe.gov/news/oittimes/spr00/00sppg7.shtml for contact
information.

The developer of tribopolymerization is Dr. Michael J. Furey at
Virginia Tech. The research topics listed there pretty much cover your
list of what you're not interested in, so it sounds like you're in
pretty specialized territory.

http://www.me.vt.edu/research/labs/tribology.html

Thank you for your comments. I am familiar with the paper and in
discussion with Dr. Furey on this subject. I'm curious if there is
some non-labratory examples of gas-phase tribopolymerization at work
in the real world to support his labratory findings.