The special mechanical properties of nanoparticles allow for novel applications in many fields, e.g., surface engineering, tribology and nanomanufacturing/nanofabrication. In this review, the basic physics of the relevant interfacial forces to nanoparticles and the main measuring techniques are briefly introduced first. Then, the theories and important results of the mechanical properties between nanoparticles or the nanoparticles acting on a surface, e.g., hardness, elastic modulus, adhesion and friction, as well as movement laws are surveyed. Afterwards, several of the main applications of nanoparticles as a result of their special mechanical properties, including lubricant additives, nanoparticles in nanomanufacturing and nanoparticle reinforced composite coating, are introduced. A brief summary and the future outlook are also given in the final part. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/47/1/013001/pdf

Mechanical properties of nanoparticles: basics and applications

A disc-on-disc type tester was used to examine the role of fullerene nanoparticles dispersed in a mineral oil-based lubricant. In the friction test, the friction coefficient of the disc specimen immersed in the nano-oil was significantly lower than that of the disc specimen immersed in the mineral oil. This suggests that the nanoparticles dispersed in mineral oil played the important role in the lubrication enhancement of nano-oil. A series of experiments in this study were carried out to delineate the two effects [i.e., direct effect (e.g., rolling/sliding/filming) and surface enhancement effect (e.g., mending/polishing)] of nanoparticles for nano-oil-based lubrication enhancement. The disc specimens immersed in the nano-oils during the friction test was removed, and then they were re-immersed in new mineral oil for an additional friction test. The direct and surface enhancement effect of nanoparticles was then visualised by the evolution of the friction coefficient of the disc specimen immersed in the mineral- and nano-oil. The results showed that the direct effect of nanoparticles was much more dependent on the magnitude of the applied normal load than the surface enhancement effect.

Understanding the Role of Nanoparticles in Nano-oil Lubrication

Enhancing lubricant properties by nanoparticle additives

Carbon nanomaterials in tribology

The prospect of modern tribology has been expanded with the advent of nanomaterial-based lubrication systems, whose development was facilitated by the nanotechnology in recent years. In literature, a variety of nanoparticles have been used as lubricant additives with potentially interesting friction and wear properties. To date, although there has been a great deal of experimental research on nanoparticles as lubricating oil additives, many aspects of their tribological behavior are yet to be fully understood. With growing number of possibilities, the key question is: what types of nanoparticles act as a better lubricating oil additive and why? To answer this question, this paper reviews main types of nanoparticles that have been used as lubricants additives and outlines the mechanisms by which they are currently believed to function. Significant aspects of their tribological behavior such as dispersion stability and morphology are also highlighted.

Tribological performance of nanoparticles as lubricating oil additives

In this article, the tribological properties of fullerene nanoparticles-added mineral oil were investigated as a function of volume concentration of fullerene nanoparticle additives (e.g., 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 vol.%). The lubrication tests were performed at the disk-on-disk type tester under the various normal forces and fullerene volume concentrations. Tribological properties were evaluated by measuring the friction surface temperature and friction coefficient, and then interpreted in terms of Stribeck curves. At the same time the friction surfaces tested were evaluated by observing their SEM images, surface roughness, and AFM images. The results showed that the nano-oil containing the higher volume concentration of fullerene nanoparticles resulted in the lower friction coefficient and less wear in the fixed plate, indicating that the increase of fullerene nanoparticle additives improved the lubrication properties of regular mineral oil.

Enhancement of Lubrication Properties of Nano-oil by Controlling the Amount of Fullerene Nanoparticle Additives

Application of fullerene-added nano-oil for lubrication enhancement in friction surfaces

This paper presents the friction and anti-wear characteristics of nano-oil with a mixture of a refrigerant oil and carbon nano-particles in the thrust slide-bearing of scroll compressors. Frictional loss in the thrust slide-bearing occupies a large part of total mechanical loss in scroll compressors. The characteristics of friction and anti-wear using nano-oil is evaluated using the thrust bearing experimental apparatus for measuring friction surface temperature and the coefficient of friction at the thrust slide-bearing as a function of normal loads up to 4,000 N and rotating speed up to 3,200 rpm. It is found that the coefficient of friction increases with decreasing rotating speed and normal force. The friction coefficient of carbon nano-oil is 0.023, while that of pure oil is 0.03 under the conditions of refrigerant gas R-22 at the pressure of 5 bars. It is believed that carbon nano-particles can be coated on the friction surfaces and the interaction of nano-particles between surfaces can be improved the lubrication in the friction surfaces. Carbon nano-oil enhances the characteristics of the anti-wear and friction at the thrust slide-bearing of scroll compressors.

/pdf/performance-evaluation-of-nano-lubricants-at-thrust-slide-32x7spt7nx.pdf

Sang-Won Cho

Papers

Enhancement of Lubrication Properties of Nano-oil by Controlling the Amount of Fullerene Nanoparticle Additives

Application of fullerene-added nano-oil for lubrication enhancement in friction surfaces

Performance Evaluation of Nano-Lubricants at Thrust Slide-Bearing of Scroll Compressor