Experimental investigation of the friction modifying effects of different nanoforms of graphene additives in engine lubricating oil

Abstract

This article presents the results of an experimental investigation of different nanoforms of graphene used as a nano additive in engine lubricating oil. The experiments were carried out on a pin-on-disc tribometer at the Department of Internal Combustion Engines and Propulsions at Széchenyi István University. The paper introduces the experimental equipment and the experimental method and presents the research findings. The paper concludes that fullerene can decrease friction by 7% on average when used as a nano additive in engine lubricating oil. Furthermore, fullerene did not present a sedimentation problem when used as an additive up to 0.25 wt% in lubricant instead of graphene and multiwalled carbon nanotubes. The paper attempts to explain the friction decreasing effect and the possible roles of carbon nano additives in tribological systems.