Effect of minimum quantity lubrication with Al2O3 nanoparticles on surface roughness, tool wear and temperature dissipation in machining Inconel 600 alloy

Eco-friendly machining processes are gaining importance to avoid environmental pollution. Even though cutting fluids have a reasonably low cost, their handling and carrying costs are very high and also, owing to their toxic nature, dumping of used fluids is a big problem because it can be hazardous to workers and also to the environment. To avoid these problems, a minimal-cutting-fluid technique called minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) was used in machining. Owing to the development of nanomaterials by nanotechnology techniques, the effectiveness of the cutting fluids can be increased by dispersing them. In the present work a vegetable-oil-based MQL with different volume fraction of Al2O3 (aluminium oxide) nanoparticles is used as the cutting fluid for machining Inconel 600 alloy. Experimental results for three different conditions – dry, MQL, MQL + Al2O3 nanoparticles – are plotted. It is observed that surface finish and temperature dissipation of the workpiece increase with different volume fractions of Al2O3 nanoparticle addition. It is also possible to observe a decrease in cutting forces and tool wear rate, and a reduction in the negative environmental effects, owing to Al2O3 nanoparticle addition to MQL in machining Inconel 600 alloy.