Abstract
This study investigates the potential of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles as additives to enhance the tribological properties of shock absorber oil, focusing on their impact on viscosity and vibration damping performance. Shock absorbers play a critical role in vehicle safety and handling by mitigating vibrations from road irregularities. However, their effectiveness deteriorates over time. To address this, CuO nanoparticles were explored for their ability to improve lubricant performance. Nano-lubricants were prepared by dispersing CuO nanoparticles at varying concentrations of 0.25 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, and 1.5 wt% in a base oil using ultrasonication. The viscosity of these nano-lubricants increased significantly, particularly at lower temperatures, indicating improved load-carrying capacity and potential friction reduction. Vibration damping performance was evaluated using a dedicated shock absorber test rig. While the nano-lubricants exhibited reduced overall vibration acceleration compared to plain oil, the transmissibility ratio, a key damping metric, did not show significant variation. This suggests that traditional shock absorber designs might require modifications to fully leverage the benefits of CuO nanoparticles. These findings demonstrate the potential of CuO nanoparticles to enhance the viscosity of shock absorber oil, potentially leading to improved performance at lower temperatures.