Call For Paper - Upcoming Conferences
Research Article | Open Access | Download PDF
Volume 13 | Issue 7 | Year 2026 | Article Id. IJME-V13I7P114 | DOI : https://doi.org/10.14445/23488360/IJME-V13I7P114

Mechanistic Evaluation of Nano-Additive-Contaminant Interactions in Lubricated Rolling Bearings: Tribofilm Evolution and Wear Behavior

R. T. Chander, P S. Chakraborty, S. Nallusamy, V. S. Hariharan

Received Revised Accepted Published
12 Apr 2026 14 Jun 2026 10 Jul 2026 30 Jul 2026

Citation :

R. T. Chander, P S. Chakraborty, S. Nallusamy, V. S. Hariharan, "Mechanistic Evaluation of Nano-Additive-Contaminant Interactions in Lubricated Rolling Bearings: Tribofilm Evolution and Wear Behavior," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 164-173, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488360/IJME-V13I7P114

Abstract

The present study investigates the synergistic and antagonistic effects of engineered nanoparticle additives and hard solid contaminants in lubricated rolling bearings. For a comprehensive experimental assessment, three nanoparticle additives, such as Tungsten Disulfide (WS₂), Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNP) and Alumina (Al₂O₃), were dispersed in a base mineral oil to study their influence on the friction, wear and tribochemical behaviour of bearings under quartz particulate contamination. The analysis was done through controlled experiments in a custom-made bearing test rig at multiple loads and speeds with continuous monitoring of friction torque, temperature and vibration. Also, to characterize wear morphologies and tribofilm composition, post-test analyses were carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. From the analysis, results revealed that WS₂ and GNP nanoparticles showed synergistic effects, forming protective tribofilms that significantly reduced wear, surface roughness, and vibration amplitude. In contrast, Al₂O₃ nanoparticles revealed antagonistic behaviour, promoting abrasive wear due to agglomeration and amplified third-body interactions. The collective analysis of mechanical and surface data expounds the underlying mechanisms of film formation, particle entrapment, and surface repair. Besides, this study provides new insights into the selection and formulation of nano-additives for lubricants intended for contaminated environments, contributing to extended bearing life and improved operational reliability.

Keywords

Nanoparticle additives, Solid contamination, Tribofilm, Rolling bearings, Wear Mechanism, Vibration analysis.

References

  1. Paul C. Uzoma et al., “Tribology of 2D Nanomaterials: A Review,” Coatings, vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 1-27, 2020.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  2. Aidil Ikhsan, Dedison Gasni, and Meifal Rusli, “Wear Patterns on Ball Bearings Lubricated by Grease Contaminated with Several Large Solid Particles,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 202-216, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  3. Ewa Piątkowska, “Influence of Solid Particle Contamination on the Wear Process in Water-Lubricated Marine Strut Bearings with NBR and PTFE Bushes,” Polish Maritime Research, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 167-178, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  4. Michael Maier, Michael Pusterhofer, and Florian Grün, “Wear Simulation in Lubricated Contacts Considering Wear-Dependent Surface Topography Changes,” Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 93, pp. 563-570, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  5. Yonggang Meng et al., “A Review of Recent Advances in Tribology,” Friction, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 221-300, 2020.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  6. Yonggang Meng et al., “A Review of Advances in Tribology in 2020–2021,” Friction, vol. 10, no. 6, pp. 1443-1595, 2022.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  7. Amrut S. Aher, and Vijay Kumar Pandey, “Insight on the Effect of Nanoparticles Addition in Oil Lubrication: A Review,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 444-456, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  8. Muhammad Waqas et al., “A Review of Friction Performance of Lubricants with Nano Additives,” Materials, vol. 14, no. 21, pp. 1-24, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  9. Zhengquan Jiang et al., “Research Progresses of Nanomaterials as Lubricant Additives,” Friction, vol. 12, no. 7, pp. 1347-1391, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  10. Zhengquan Jiang et al., “Synthesis of Oil-Soluble WS2 Nanosheets under Mild Condition and Study of Their Effect on Tribological Properties of Poly-Alpha Olefin under Evaluated Temperatures,” Tribology International, vol. 138, pp. 68-78, 2019.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  11. Jia Ren et al., “Investigation of the Tribological Performances of Graphene and WS2 Nanosheets as Additives for Perfluoroalkylpolyethers Under Simulated Space Environment,” Tribology Letters, vol. 69, no. 2, pp. 1-13, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  12. Xiufang Bai et al., “Tribological Performance of Different Concentrations of Al2O3 Nanofluids on Minimum Quantity Lubrication Milling,” Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 1-12, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  13. Jyoti Srivastava, Tandra Nandi, and Rakesh Kumar Trivedi, “Experimental Investigations on Thermophysical, Tribological and Rheological Properties of MoS2 and WS2 Based Nanolubricants with Castor Oil as Base Lubricant,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 591-603, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  14. Filip Ilie, and Andreea-Catalina Cristescu, “A Study on the Tribological Behavior of Molybdenum Disulfide Particles as Additives,” Coatings, vol. 12, no. 9, pp. 1-10, 2022.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  15. Johny Tannous et al., “Understanding the Tribochemical Mechanisms of IF-MoS2 Nanoparticles Under Boundary Lubrication,” Tribology Letters, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 55-64, 2011.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  16. Zahrul Fuadi et al., “Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelets on Tribological Properties of Bacterial Cellulose/Polyolester Oil Bio-Lubricant,” Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, vol. 8, pp. 1-11, 2022.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  17. Niveditha Noble et al., “Effect of Nano-Additives on Tribological Behaviour of Hazelnut Oil and Sunflower Oil,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 457-471, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  18. Mohamed Kamal Ahmed Ali, Hou Xianjun, and Hua Jiang, “Lubrication Mechanism Analysis of Nickel-Carbon-Based Tribological Layer on Sliding Interfaces in Automotive Engines,” Tribology International, vol. 195, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  19. Vicente Cortes et al., “The Performance of SiO2 and TiO2 Nanoparticles as Lubricant Additives in Sunflower Oil,” Lubricants, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1-13, 2020.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  20. Poppy Puspitasari et al., “Tribology Characteristic of Ball Bearing SKF RB-12.7/G20W using SAE 5W-30 Lubricant with Carbon-Based Nanomaterial Addition,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 664-675, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  21. Jinqiang Shao et al., “Recent Advances in Biomimetic Related Lubrication,” Lubricants, vol. 12, no. 11, pp. 1-39, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  22. Hong Zhang et al., “Tribological Behavior of WS2 Nanoparticles as Additives in Calcium Sulfonate Complex–Polyurea Grease,” Lubricants, vol. 11, no. 6, pp. 1-14, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  23. Ajoy Sahu, and Niharendu Saha, “Comparative Investigation of Lubricant Properties of Pongamia and Castor Oil Bio Lubricant Blended with (SAE20W40) Mineral Oil,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 535-547, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  24. Ravikiran et al., “Experimental Study on Tribological, Rheological and Bio-Degradability Characteristics of Canola Oil with TiO2 Nanoparticles as Bio-Nanolubricants,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 458-466, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  25. Xudong Zhao, and Yimin Zhang , “Tribological and Dynamic Performance Analysis of Rolling Bearings with Varied Surface Textures Operating under Lubricant Contamination,” Wear, vol. 532-533, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  26. Thi-Na Ta et al., “Tribological Characteristics and Vibration Response of Grease Lubricated Contacts under Environmental Particles and Water Impact,” Wear, vol. 550-551, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  27. Yuyang Yuan et al., “Evaluation of Nanoparticles for Nanoscale Film Fabrication Harnessing Tribochemistry,” Tribology International, vol. 210, pp. 1-11, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  28. Bharat Kumar et al., “Influence of Nano-Lubrication on Tribological Behavior of AZ91 Magnesium Alloy Under Fretting Condition,” Tribology in Industry, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 375-386, 2023.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  29. Gaurab Kumar Ghosh et al., “A Multi-Faceted Review on Industrial Grade Nanolubricants: Applications and Rheological Insights with Global Market Forecast,” Results in Engineering, vol. 25, pp. 1-19, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
  30. Bahaa M. Kame et al., “Optimization of the Rheological Properties and Tribological Performance of SAE 5w-30 Base Oil with Added MWCNTs,” Lubricants, vol. 9, no. 9, pp. 1-13, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]