A Systematic Solvothermal Alcoholysis Investigation of TiO₂, ZnO, and ZnTiO₃ Nanoparticles for Advanced Lubricant Formulations
摘要
This work reports a systematic study on the solvothermal alcoholysis synthesis of titanium dioxide (TiO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), and zinc titanate (ZnTiO₃) nanocomposite for lubrication applications. The effect of treatment temperature on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the synthesized materials was comprehensively investigated. Structural and morphological characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results demonstrate that the solvothermal alcoholysis route enables the formation of high-quality nanoparticles and nanocomposites with temperature-dependent tunability. FESEM analysis revealed the formation of rod-like nanostructures uniformly distributed across the nanoparticle matrix. EDS confirmed the homogeneous dispersion of Ti, Zn, and O elements. XRD patterns obtained at 180 °C exhibited sharp and intense diffraction peaks, indicating enhanced crystallinity, while FTIR spectra confirmed improved structural ordering at higher temperatures. Notably, the ZnTiO₃ nanocomposite exhibited superior structural and physicochemical properties compared to the individual TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles. These findings highlight the effectiveness of solvothermal alcoholysis synthesis for tailoring metal oxide nanomaterials for lubrication applications.