This paper presents a study of a viscous torsional vibration damper for a crankshaft of a four-stroke diesel engine. The reliable operation of a widely used silicone-type viscous damper depends on the ability of the silicone oil to absorb the energy of torsional vibrations. The non-Newtonian shear flow of the silicone oil interlayer, characterised by a reduction in the shear-rate-dependent viscosity and a moment of the drag forces, negatively affects damping characteristics. A torsional vibration damper, filled with a shear-thickening fluid, was considered and a rheological approach, based on viscosity growth with the shear rate increase, was applied. For such a damper, larger velocity gradients correspond to the higher values of a viscous force, which decreases torsional vibration. The parameter of damper effectiveness (defined by the fluid flow index, values of the damper gaps, torsional vibration amplitude and frequency) was implemented. It has been established that the efficiency of the torsional vibration damper filled with a dilatant fluid does not depend on the damper dimensions and gaps and significantly increases when a shear-thickening fluid is used instead of silicone oil or a Newtonian fluid. At higher values of the flow index, when the non-Newtonian flow becomes distinct, torsional vibrations are damped more effectively. Critical vibration amplitudes at high-velocity gradients, in turn, increase the damping effect as the moment of the drag forces and flow index are power-law related.

The methods of obtaining nanomaterials have been described, and the conditions for the formation of nanoparticles of a given size have been assessed. It has been shown that the surface energy of the nano-sized particles, due to a large portion of surface atoms, is significantly greater than the surface energy of the microparticles resulting in the non-equilibrium state of the former with the possibility to self-organize forming, in particular, strong and wear-resistant cladding films from the metallic nanoparticles on the friction surfaces. To explain the interaction of the nanoparticles, which are at the boundary of the quantum and classical states, with the environment, the main provisions of quantum mechanics have been used. The mutual interaction between the bare nanoparticles and between the nanoparticle and a surface, separated by the environment, has been considered. It has been shown that without the stabilization with surfactants, metallic nanoparticles will aggregate; in turn, the nature of the interaction between the nanoparticles with the solid substrates is determined by their dielectric constants. The paper presents an overview of the development of the nanotechnology industry, indicates the commercial demand for nanomaterials, marks the countries that are leaders in the production of nanomaterials, and lists the mainelements used for the production of metallicnanopowders.