Investigation into Performance of SiO2 Nanoparticle Based Cutting Fluid in Machining Process

Abstract

Nanofluid (NF) is a colloidal mixture of metallic or non-metallic particles of nanometre-size in a base fluid. In the present investigation, a nano-cutting fluid with better thermal and tribological properties has been developed by adding SiO2 nanoparticles into a vegetable oil-water emulsion in different volumetric concentrations. The prepared nanofluid is also characterized for its thermal conductivity and viscosity with various nanoparticle concentrations at different temperatures. Furthermore, its performance as a cutting fluid by using minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) technique has been examined in turning of AISI 1040 steel. The investigation results have also been compared with the results obtained by applying dry machining and wet/MQL machining techniques using conventional cutting fluid. The experiment clearly establishes that the performance of SiO2 nanofluid in terms of cutting force, surface roughness, tool flank wear and chip morphology is better compared to conventional cutting fluids, applied under wet/MQL machining and dry machining