Formulation of SiO2/oil nanolubricant for metal forming using hydrodynamic cavitation

A novel hydrodynamic cavitation-based dispensing process was developed to disperse SiO(2)nanoparticles into the base oil, and the effects of process parameters on dispersity and tribological properties of SiO2/oil nanolubricants were studied using the dynamic laser scattering and ring compression tests. With this process, nanolubricants with fine nanoparticles (139-1240 nm) were formulated. A mean particle size reduction of 78% was achieved in 60 min. This process can be scaled up for mass production with relative ease. The formulated SiO2/oil nanolubricants exhibited better tribological performance over that of base oil. Lubrication mechanisms of the SiO2/oil nanolubricant in metal forming were ascertained through analysis of the dispersity of nanolubricants and characterization of dents appearing on the surface of the deforming material. The study revealed the importance of formulating nanolubricants with specific particle size distribution that relate to the surface morphology of the deforming material. In this study, a nanolubricant with particle size of 3.6 mu m exhibited better lubrication on ring samples with dent depth of 4.7 mu m, implying that most nanoparticles were encapsulated in the dents facilitating hydrostatic lubrication.