Orthogonal tests of the lubricating performance of SnO2 nanoparticles in poly-alfa-olefine oil

Abstract

The tribological properties of SnO2 nanofluids were investigated using ball-on-plate reciprocating sliding wear tests. It was found that the coefficient of friction was reduced by 34.9% using 3 wt% SnO2 nanoparticles. The wear width and wear depth were reduced by 42% and 50.1%, respectively, using 2 wt% SnO2 nanoparticles. In the orthogonal tests, the frequency had the greatest influence on the friction and wear loss. Additionally, the optimal working conditions were a normal load of 50 N, a motion frequency of 1 Hz, and a surface roughness of 500–600 nm. Additionally, the excellent tribological performance of SnO2 nanofluids could be attributed to the formation of a tribo-film with a low shearing resistance due to the oleic acid and a protective layer due to the embedment of SnO2 nanoparticles.