Investigation of Lubrication Capability of Zinc Oxide-Reinforced Nanolubricants in Automotive Applications

This article aims to introduce the tribological investigation of nanoscale zinc oxide particles as friction and wear reduction additives in the automotive industry and to present the results of the measurements. The surface-activated nanoparticles were homogenized into a neat Group-III-type base oil at five different concentrations, and their tribological properties were tested using a simplified ball-on-disc tribosystem. The arising wear scar images were investigated, and the occurred wear volume values were also calculated using a confocal microscope. The evaluation presented excellent friction and wear reduction properties, especially at higher concentrations (0.4 and 0.5 wt%). The authors would like to highlight the tribological decreasing potentials provided by such nanoparticles. Nanoparticle-reinforced lubricants can be one of the future solutions to developing operating machines with an achievable maximum energy efficiency.