Development of New Hybrid Graphene‐Based Engine Oil Nanolubricant for Thermal and Tribological Applications

The effective operation of engines requires engine lubricants with thermal and tribological properties. This study primarily aims to examine the impact of a nanocomposite consisting of Cu‐TiO 2 nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) on various characteristics of paraffinic base oil (PBO). These properties include viscosity, flash point, thermal conductivity ( k ), viscosity index (VI), specific heat capacity ( C p ), and tribological aspects like the wear rate and coefficient of friction (COF). This research marks the first application of the Cu‐TiO 2 ‐GO nanocomposite in paraffinic base lubricants. To evaluate the tribological properties and thermal attributes of lubricants, a pin‐on‐disc tribometer and KD2 PRO system are used. The primary accomplishments of this study include a decrease in the average COF of 9.9%, 29.11%, 19.31%, and 29.8% under the respective conditions of 50 N‐100 rpm, 50 N‐180 rpm, 100 N‐100 rpm, and 100 N‐180 rpm when using sample A. The X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra for Cu 2p, Ti 2p, O 1s, and C 1s confirmed the presence of the nanocomposite in the tribofilm. For the sample C nanofluid at temperatures of 25 °C, 45 °C, and 65 °C, an improvement in k is observed. Specifically, the k increases by ≈13.46%, 24.65%, and 34.69%, respectively, compared to the base oil.