Internal combustion engines are very inefficient at converting chemical energy to mechanical energy. Among the energy losses are friction and heat losses. In October 2016, researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States, and Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel demonstrated a process for reducing the energy losses due to friction by chemically and mechanically modifying the surfaces of metal parts. This process could potentially be used for friction reduction in automotive engines. See also: Energy conversion; Engine; Friction; Internal combustion engine; Tribology
The significance of this treatment process is that it may improve engine efficiency and thereby reduce gasoline and oil consumption, which would be beneficial to environmental and energy sustainability. It could also potentially increase the power output of engines and extend engine life. The researchers plan further work to understand the mechanisms behind the treatment process as well as how durable it would be. In terms of the service life, Michael Varenberg, who led the project from Georgia Tech, said, “I believe it should last long due to some sort of self-regeneration ability, but it is still an open question to be addressed.”
In the study published in the journal Tribology Letters, the researchers treated the surfaces of cast-iron blocks by blasting them with small metal balls of copper sulfide and aluminum oxide, using a simple method known as peening or shot peening. The process both deformed the cast-iron surface and altered it chemically. See also: Machining; Metal coatings; Plastic deformation of metals; Solid-state chemistry
In automotive engines, lubricating oil (also called motor oil or engine oil) is pressure-fed between opposing moving surfaces, providing a cushion that prevents the surfaces from contacting each other. Most motor oils are petroleum oils that contain additives to improve their viscosity or other specific properties, and to reduce wear on, and friction between, the moving parts. In the study, the researchers found that the treated metal surfaces would bond with the motor oil without any need for oil additives. Additionally, the treated metal surfaces showed better surface lubricity, compared to the best formulated commercial oils. See also: Engine lubrication; Lubricant; Viscosity
