Abstract

The present study experimentally investigates the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of a compression ignition diesel engine equipped with a thermal barrier–coated (TBC) piston and fuelled with alumina nanoparticle-enhanced Jatropha biodiesel.  A yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic coating was applied on the piston crown to reduce heat loss and improve in-cylinder thermal conditions. Jatropha biodiesel blends (B10, B20, and B30) were prepared through transesterification, and alumina (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles at a concentration of 30 ppm were uniformly dispersed using ultrasonication. Experiments were carried out at constant speed under varying load conditions. TBC materials are commonly used on parts such the exhaust valves, combustion chamber walls, cylinder head, and piston crown in internal combustion engines, particularly diesel engines. The results show a reduction in brake specific fuel consumption and a significant improvement in brake thermal efficiency. Nitrogen oxide emissions somewhat increased as a result of higher combustion temperatures, but carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions were significantly decreased. Increased peak cylinder pressure, decreased ignition delay, and improved heat release rate were all found via combustion analysis. The findings verify that applying thermal barrier coating in conjunction with Jatropha biodiesel blended with nanoparticles is a successful strategy for increasing diesel engine efficiency while maintaining acceptable emission characteristics.

As compared to normal diesel operation, the results show that the combination of the thermal barrier coating and the nano-particle enhanced biodiesel blend greatly improved combustion characteristics, resulting in increased brake thermal efficiency and lower fuel usage. Improved oxidation resulted in a significant decrease in carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and smoke, according to emission studies; however, a slight rise in NO_x emissions was noted, which was explained by higher combustion temperatures inside the coated combustion chamber. All things considered, combining thermal barrier coating technology with Jatropha biodiesel enhanced with nano-particles offers a viable strategy for improving engine performance and lowering toxic emissions in compression ignition engines.

Keywords: Thermal barrier coating, Jatropha biodiesel, Alumina nanoparticles, Diesel engine, Combustion analysis, Emissions.

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1. Heywood JB. Internal combustion engine fundamentals. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2018.
2. Mohsin, R., Z.A. Majid, A.H. Shihnan, N.S. Nasri, and Z. Sharer. "Effect of Biodiesel Blends on Engine Performance and Exhaust Emission for Diesel Dual Fuel Engine." Energy Conversion and Management 88, (2014): 821-828. Accessed June 22, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman. 2014.09.027.
3. Thorve Ganesh Vishnu, Borkar Sulas. Experimental analysis of thermal barrier coating in two stroke SI engine. International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education. 2018;4(3):989-992.
4. Elumalai, P. V., Annamalai, K. & Dhinesh, B. Effects of thermal barrier coating on the performance, combustion and emission of DI diesel engine powered by biofuel oil–water emulsion. J. Therm. Anal. Calorim.137, 593–605. 10.1007/s10973-018-7948-6 (2019).
5. Fei CG, Qian ZQ, Ren J, Zhou XJ, Zhu SW. Numerical and experimental research on thermal insulation performance of marine diesel engine piston based on YSZ thermal barrier coating. Coatings. 2021 Jun 25;11(7):765.
6. Venu H, Appavu P. Analysis on a thermal barrier coated (TBC) piston in a single cylinder diesel engine powered by Jatropha biodiesel–diesel blends. SN Applied Sciences. 2019 Dec;1(12):1669.
7. Verma P, Sharma MP. Performance and emission characteristics of biodiesel fuelled diesel engines. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research. 2015 Mar 27;5(1):245-50.
8. Shaisundaram VS, Elumalai PV, Padmanabhan S, Ramachandran UN, Tripathi AK, Yaping C, Goud BN, Prabhakar S. Impact of metal oxides on thermal response of zirconia coated diesel engines fueled by Momordica biodiesel machine learning insights. Scientific Reports. 2025 Jul 21;15(1):26457.
9. Perumal Venkatesan E, Kandhasamy A, Sivalingam A, Kumar AS, Ramalingam K, Joshua PJ, Balasubramanian D. Performance and emission reduction characteristics of cerium oxide nanoparticle-water emulsion biofuel in diesel engine with modified coated piston. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2019 Sep 1;26(26):27362-71.
10. Erdoğan S, Aydın S, Balki MK, Sayin C. Operational evaluation of thermal barrier coated diesel engine fueled with biodiesel/diesel blend by using MCDM method base on engine performance, emission and combustion characteristics. Renewable Energy. 2020 May 1;151:698-706.
11. Sivakumar G, Kumar SS. Investigation on effect of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia coated piston crown on performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine. Alexandria engineering journal. 2014 Dec 1;53(4):787-94.
12. Liu Y, Lei J, Niu X, Deng X, Wen J, Wen Z. Experimental and simulation study on aluminium alloy piston based on thermal barrier coating. Scientific reports. 2022 Jun 29;12(1):10991.
13. Kumar S, Patel R. Recent advances in thermal barrier coatings for low heat rejection diesel engines: A review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2025;192.
14. Zhang Y, Li H, Chen Z. Performance and emission characteristics of nanoparticle-enhanced biodiesel in advanced coated diesel engines. Fuel. 2025;373.
15. Ahmed M, Al-Kassab A. Experimental investigation of ceramic-coated piston diesel engines operating on nano-additive biofuels. Appl Therm Eng. 2025;248.

Abstract

The present study experimentally investigates the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of a compression ignition diesel engine equipped with a thermal barrier–coated (TBC) piston and fuelled with alumina nanoparticle-enhanced Jatropha biodiesel.  A yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic coating was applied on the piston crown to reduce heat loss and improve in-cylinder thermal conditions. Jatropha biodiesel blends (B10, B20, and B30) were prepared through transesterification, and alumina (Al₂O₃) nanoparticles at a concentration of 30 ppm were uniformly dispersed using ultrasonication. Experiments were carried out at constant speed under varying load conditions. TBC materials are commonly used on parts such the exhaust valves, combustion chamber walls, cylinder head, and piston crown in internal combustion engines, particularly diesel engines. The results show a reduction in brake specific fuel consumption and a significant improvement in brake thermal efficiency. Nitrogen oxide emissions somewhat increased as a result of higher combustion temperatures, but carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions were significantly decreased. Increased peak cylinder pressure, decreased ignition delay, and improved heat release rate were all found via combustion analysis. The findings verify that applying thermal barrier coating in conjunction with Jatropha biodiesel blended with nanoparticles is a successful strategy for increasing diesel engine efficiency while maintaining acceptable emission characteristics.

As compared to normal diesel operation, the results show that the combination of the thermal barrier coating and the nano-particle enhanced biodiesel blend greatly improved combustion characteristics, resulting in increased brake thermal efficiency and lower fuel usage. Improved oxidation resulted in a significant decrease in carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and smoke, according to emission studies; however, a slight rise in NO_x emissions was noted, which was explained by higher combustion temperatures inside the coated combustion chamber. All things considered, combining thermal barrier coating technology with Jatropha biodiesel enhanced with nano-particles offers a viable strategy for improving engine performance and lowering toxic emissions in compression ignition engines.

Keywords: Thermal barrier coating, Jatropha biodiesel, Alumina nanoparticles, Diesel engine, Combustion analysis, Emissions.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Heywood JB. Internal combustion engine fundamentals. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2018.
2. Mohsin, R., Z.A. Majid, A.H. Shihnan, N.S. Nasri, and Z. Sharer. "Effect of Biodiesel Blends on Engine Performance and Exhaust Emission for Diesel Dual Fuel Engine." Energy Conversion and Management 88, (2014): 821-828. Accessed June 22, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman. 2014.09.027.
3. Thorve Ganesh Vishnu, Borkar Sulas. Experimental analysis of thermal barrier coating in two stroke SI engine. International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education. 2018;4(3):989-992.
4. Elumalai, P. V., Annamalai, K. & Dhinesh, B. Effects of thermal barrier coating on the performance, combustion and emission of DI diesel engine powered by biofuel oil–water emulsion. J. Therm. Anal. Calorim.137, 593–605. 10.1007/s10973-018-7948-6 (2019).
5. Fei CG, Qian ZQ, Ren J, Zhou XJ, Zhu SW. Numerical and experimental research on thermal insulation performance of marine diesel engine piston based on YSZ thermal barrier coating. Coatings. 2021 Jun 25;11(7):765.
6. Venu H, Appavu P. Analysis on a thermal barrier coated (TBC) piston in a single cylinder diesel engine powered by Jatropha biodiesel–diesel blends. SN Applied Sciences. 2019 Dec;1(12):1669.
7. Verma P, Sharma MP. Performance and emission characteristics of biodiesel fuelled diesel engines. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research. 2015 Mar 27;5(1):245-50.
8. Shaisundaram VS, Elumalai PV, Padmanabhan S, Ramachandran UN, Tripathi AK, Yaping C, Goud BN, Prabhakar S. Impact of metal oxides on thermal response of zirconia coated diesel engines fueled by Momordica biodiesel machine learning insights. Scientific Reports. 2025 Jul 21;15(1):26457.
9. Perumal Venkatesan E, Kandhasamy A, Sivalingam A, Kumar AS, Ramalingam K, Joshua PJ, Balasubramanian D. Performance and emission reduction characteristics of cerium oxide nanoparticle-water emulsion biofuel in diesel engine with modified coated piston. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2019 Sep 1;26(26):27362-71.
10. Erdoğan S, Aydın S, Balki MK, Sayin C. Operational evaluation of thermal barrier coated diesel engine fueled with biodiesel/diesel blend by using MCDM method base on engine performance, emission and combustion characteristics. Renewable Energy. 2020 May 1;151:698-706.
11. Sivakumar G, Kumar SS. Investigation on effect of Yttria Stabilized Zirconia coated piston crown on performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine. Alexandria engineering journal. 2014 Dec 1;53(4):787-94.
12. Liu Y, Lei J, Niu X, Deng X, Wen J, Wen Z. Experimental and simulation study on aluminium alloy piston based on thermal barrier coating. Scientific reports. 2022 Jun 29;12(1):10991.
13. Kumar S, Patel R. Recent advances in thermal barrier coatings for low heat rejection diesel engines: A review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev. 2025;192.
14. Zhang Y, Li H, Chen Z. Performance and emission characteristics of nanoparticle-enhanced biodiesel in advanced coated diesel engines. Fuel. 2025;373.
15. Ahmed M, Al-Kassab A. Experimental investigation of ceramic-coated piston diesel engines operating on nano-additive biofuels. Appl Therm Eng. 2025;248.