Rheological and Tribological Study of Polyethylsiloxane with SiO2 Nanoparticles Additive

Nowadays, much attention is paid to the creation of high-performance lubricants with improved properties through the use of ultrafine nanopowders. The paper shows the results of studying the viscoelastic properties of samples of silicon dioxide nanoparticle suspensions based on polyethylsiloxane (silicone oil) by the acoustic resonance method. The method is based on a study of the additional coupling effect on the resonance characteristics of the piezoelectric resonator. The values of the shear modulus and the tangent of the mechanical loss angle were calculated. The interaction between polymer molecules and nanoparticles was characterized by infrared spectroscopy. The influence of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (as a nano-additive) on the performance characteristics of polyethylsiloxane lubricant is presented. The results of determining the friction coefficient from the sliding speed show an increase in the tear strength of the lubricating film, leading to improved tribological properties.