Enhancing the antiwear ability of lubricating oils by inorganic nanoparticles

In the few past years nano-materials have emerged as new choice in additive development because of their special physical and chemical properties. Nano-particles can be especially effective for improving the antiwear and antifriction ability of lubricants. In this paper the results of an investigation on the effects of adding Cu, Ni and MoS2 nano-particles to SN600 base oil are presented. The characterization of nano-particles was performed by atomic force microscopy. The antiwear ability of the oils was evaluated by 4-ball test. The results were compared with the 4-ball test results of the SN600 base oil and commercial multigrade motor oil. According to results obtained, adding nano-particles improve antiwear resistance and don’t affect the kinematic viscosity and viscosity index of the oil.