Enhancing Fuel Efficiency of Internal Combustion Engine through the Application of Nanostructured Aluminium Alloy in Pistons

‌The automobile and motorsport industires are under immense pressure due to emission laws to reduce fuel consumption and alleviate the effects of global warming. This experimental study compared the performance of internal combustion engine pistons made of a newly developed nanostructured aluminium alloy (RSA-612) and conventional aluminium alloy 2618. The new alloy is expected to reduce piston mass which will reduce piston assembly frictional losses and lead to reduced fuel consumption. The new alloy has lower density and higher strength at elevated temperatures than conventional aluminum alloys, and the final machined piston was 13.5% lighter than the original piston. The limited engine testing carried out in this study showed that the new piston produced enhanced performance in certain engine operating conditions, whilst performing similarly or slightly worse in others. Further testing with the new piston is advised to assess engine performance across wider engine running envelope.