Effect of Nano-Additives on Tribological Behaviour of Hazelnut Oil and Sunflower Oil

The performance loss in industrial equipment due to friction and wear is one of the critical concerns among researchers. This drives the need to develop lubrication fluids that reduce friction to provide extended performance. The global sustainability movement drives the research towards novel bio-based oils to aid in lubrication. This study analyses the dispersion stability, tribological behaviour and antiwear properties of zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium dioxide (TiO2) and molybdenum di sulphide (MoS2) nanoparticles as an additive in hazelnut and sunflower oils. The viscosity index and flash point of the prepared nano lubricants were analyzed. The tribological test conducted on four ball tester resulted in a 12.6% and 35.8% reduction in coefficient of friction (COF) for 0.5% ZnO in hazelnut oil and 1% MoS2 in sunflower oil. The corresponding wear scar images were analysed. The extreme pressure (EP) test resulted that 1% MoS2 in sunflower oil exhibiting improved performance as it sustained a 1800N load. The kinematic viscosity of the 0.5% ZnO in hazelnut oil and 1% MoS2 in sunflower oil had an improvement against others. Therefore, infusion of nano additives in bio-oils offers enhanced tribological properties foreseeing sustainability in applications.