Investigations on aluminum nano hybrid composite piston rings for diesel engines

Abstract

Automotive systems play an important role in everyday life throughout the world. As determined by literature, 33% of the fuel energy procurable for heavy-duty vehicles is engaged in overcoming friction caused by engine, transmission, brakes, tires, and auxiliary equipmentand#8223;s. Further, approximately only 20% of the losses happen due to problems in engine, the rest of losses happen in account of decreasing the frictional losses that has an immediate impact on the efficiency of the engine. Most of mechanical losses of friction within the engine about 65-70% arise by engine piston rings, cylinder liner assemblage, and bearings. The conventional components of an automotive could be substituted by composite materials containing more than two reinforcements are combined into the material matrix to minimize the losses due to friction and enhance its strength. Now a days, materials of nano-hybrid composite are used to improve the performance than a single-reinforcement composite material. In nano-hybrid composite of automobile components, the lightweight not only save consumption of fuel but also reduce the emissions produced by an engine. In this current research, it is aimed light weight Nano-hybrid composite Piston Rings (NPRs) are used as substitute to Conventional cast iron Piston Rings (CPRs) to better the engine performance and decrease the losses of friction and emission. An Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is the methodical procedure for material selection was utilized to choose the matrix material and reinforcements. A metal matrix Al6061 with micro-SiC, nanoZrO2 ceramics, and nano-Graphite (Gr) solid lubricant reinforcements were used to fabricate new composites. The composed bottom pouring stir casting method was utilized to produce samples of nano-hybrid composite.Characteristic studies were performed to find out the hardness, tensile strength, density, thermal conductivity, corrosion, tribological test, and microphotography study by means of Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Taguchi method was adopted for