Tribology Performance of Silica Nanoparticles as Lubricant Additives in a Reciprocating Four-Stroke Engine Motorcycle

Lubricants, such as any types of greases and oils, are usually used to reduce the effect of friction. However, they also have multifunctions that increase the overall performance and application life. To clarify how lubricants decrease friction and reduce friction-related issues, this study evaluated the performance of specific fuel consumption and exhaust emissions (such as hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter) of motorcycle with nanosilica (nano-SiO₂) added to the original lubricant. Lubricants with 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 wt.% nano-SiO₂ were evaluated after testing their basic properties and conducting tribology tests. The lubricant with 3.5 wt.% nano-SiO₂ was the best candidate for the four-stroke engine motorcycle experiments. The results of the tribology experiment with nano-SiO₂ lubricant showed that the abrasion loss corresponding to the 3.5 wt.% nano-SiO₂ lubricant decreased by an average of 42.43 %. Overall, the 3.5 wt.% nano-SiO₂ lubricant improved the effect of lubrication. The primary focus of the current study was the development of nano-SiO₂ lubricant technology for applications in industry environments.