Comparative performance of mono- and hybrid-nanoparticle soybean-oil cutting fluids in minimum quantity lubrication-assisted CNC milling
摘要
This study compares mono-nanoparticle and hybrid-nanoparticle soybean-oil cutting fluids used with minimum-quantity lubrication during computer numerical control milling of steel grade 1045. Cutting fluids with 0.15% by mass nanoparticles were prepared by magnetic stirring and ultrasonication and characterized for density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and rheology. Machining responses included cutting temperature, surface roughness, tool wear, chip morphology and color. Compared with dry cutting (139.67 °C), the hybrid cutting fluid lowered cutting temperature to 38.33 °C. Surface roughness decreased from 2.177 micrometres (dry) to 0.958 micrometres (a reduction of 56.0%) with the hybrid formulation, which also yielded the smallest tool-wear length (0.0307 millimetres). Although the formulation containing only hexagonal boron nitride exhibited the highest thermal conductivity, the hybrid combination of hexagonal boron nitride and graphene nanoplatelets delivered the best overall machining performance. Compared with dry machining, minimum-quantity lubrication using soybean-oil cutting fluids containing hybrid hexagonal boron nitride and graphene nanoplatelets produced shorter, smoother chip with fewer serrations consistent with enhanced cooling, lamellar lubrication, and tribofilm formation that stabilize plastic flow and reduce thermal-adhesive instabilities and chip color analysis corroborated this thermal advantage, with these cutting fluid yielding bright silver debris indicative of efficient heat removal and minimal thermal damage. The findings indicate that soybean-oil-based hybrid nanoparticles can substantially improve thermo-tribological performance in minimum-quantity-lubrication milling and support the design of environmentally responsible cutting fluids for sustainable manufacturing.