Sustainable grinding approach to analyze surface integrity of nickel-based superalloy using atomized green cutting fluid

Abstract

In order to alleviate the difficulties pertinent with conventional grinding, the current study investigates the influence of ultrasonic-assisted grinding and atomized lubricants on surface integrity. Ionic Liquid (ILs) based Rice Bran Oil (RBO) green cutting oil has been utilized as cutting fluid. The sustainability analysis revealed that ILs-based RBO is environment-friendly as compared to its counterparts. The study comprises of analysing residual stresses, microstructural analysis, hardness measurement, and surface characterization. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) technique has been used to evaluate the residual stresses, and then, an exhaustive microstructural analysis has been done using Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD). The outcomes of the current study reveals that the dual benefits of ultrasonic vibration along with atomized cutting fluid significantly enhanced the surface integrity of the ground surface. Additionally, the compressive nature of residual stress was perceived during Ultrasonic-Assisted Grinding with Atomized Fluid (UAGAF), which was higher than its counterparts. The microstructural analysis showed that the proposed process affects the microstructure minimum vis-à-vis other grinding schemes. The upshots of the current study proved the UAGAF process to be a key step towards sustainable grinding and consolidated the capability of the UAGAF to be employed for the grinding of Nimonic 80A.