Grinding is an essential manufacturing process, yet the heat due to friction associated with the process causes damage to the part being processed. Lubrication is used to reduce friction; however, traditional petroleum-based lubricants can harm the environment and are hazardous to humans.
A paper published in the Journal of Cleaner Production addresses the issues associated with traditional lubricants and presents a novel eco-friendly technique to develop lubricating fluid using nanoparticles.
Grinding – Its Importance and Implications
Grinding is one of the most popular precision manufacturing methods for producing parts, offering excellent surface integrity and fine dimensional tolerances at a reduced cost. Nevertheless, the synchronized rubbing, shearing, and plowing action of randomly dispersed abrasive grains create a large amount of heat due to friction in the machining area.
It is important to note that almost all of the energy produced during the grinding process is converted to heat energy. The bulk of this heat permeates the machined part, especially difficult-to-machine materials (DTMMs). This high temperature has a significant influence on surface quality and grinding performance.
The Impact of Lubricating Fluids
To counteract the problem of overheating and ensure the highest possible grinding performance, lubrication for grinding purposes has emerged as a current area of primary scientific focus.
For decades, various lubricating fluids have been used to improve the grinding performance by reducing surplus heat within the machining area. Unfortunately, 85% of these machining fluids are petroleum-based lubricating fluids derived from crude oil extracts and extracts containing chemical additives such as chlorine.
The Negative Side of Lubricants
This whole process has extremely negative environmental repercussions, including soil and water contamination, as well as adverse health implications for machine workers, such as cancer, breathing issues, dermatitis, and genetic illnesses.
As a result, it has become important to investigate practical and sustainable manufacturing solutions that are economically viable, safe for the community, waste-free, and limit negative environmental consequences.
A Transition Towards Green Eco-Friendly Lubrication
Vegetable-based oils are considered ideal options for replacing conventional lubricating fluids to make that progress toward green eco-friendly lubrication.
Vegetable-based oils have a relatively high viscosity, are biodegradable, and have great dispersion properties. Furthermore, straight vegetable-based oils provide an extra-strong lubricant layer that interacts aggressively with the metallic surface, reducing wear due to friction.
Many research teams have attempted to employ vegetable-based oils as lubricants for minimal quantity lubrication (MQL)-based grinding of DTMMs to replace traditional lubricating fluids.
Nanofluids – Overcoming Lubrication Barriers
Although various investigations have shown that MQL has superior lubricating properties, the cooling efficacy of MQL-based grinding is not optimum.
To resolve the issue of low cooling efficacy, a new kind of lubricant, nanofluid (NFs), may be manufactured to improve heat transmission.
Many researchers have emphasized the significant advantages of NFs over traditional lubricating fluids in grinding. As a result, NFs are used extensively in grinding-based processes to increase surface quality and reduce machining loads.
Basis of Current Research in Eco-Friendly Lubricants
The current study aimed to investigate the viability of eco-friendly vegetable-based lubricants, such as aluminum oxide-based NFs, in MQL-based grinding of AISI tool steel. The study aimed to consider technology used, sustainability, and product quality factors.
A variety of lubricants were used as the base fluid for MQL-based grinding in the study to determine the impact of the lubricating fluid and to analyze the cooling performance of the fluid on the AISI tool steel’s technological and sustainability indices, including energy consumption, carbon emission, manufacturing costs, friction coefficient, roughness, BC proportion, surface characteristics, and microchip morphology.
Results of the Study
Through thorough research, the team pointed out that a sustainable MQL-based system with eco-friendly nanoparticle-based lubricants, particularly aluminum oxide-based NFs, is the ideal solution for lubricants in the precision machining industries for eco-friendly fabrication of steel components.
The aluminum oxide-based NFs method dramatically improved grinding performance, surface quality, and sustainability.
The team concluded that a wide range of precision machining-based industries has potential usage for sustainable, eco-friendly grinding. Thus, making NFs a very desirable lubricant when it comes to grinding-based processes.
News
Single Dose Nanovaccine Developed to Help Tackle Shigella
Shigella bacteria, which causes Shigellosis, is the primary cause of bacterial diarrhea and diarrheal death among juveniles under five years of age. Because of the antibiotic resistance of Shigella strains, no commercial vaccines are available to date. [...]
Tiny robots with ‘brains’ can walk autonomously inside your body
Scientists have built microscopic robots equipped with electronic “brains” that are capable of walking autonomously. A team from Cornell University in the US developed the solar-powered bots as part of research into a new generation of [...]
Long COVID patients show signs of autoimmune disease a year after infection
Blood samples from patients with long COVID who are still suffering from fatigue and shortness of breath after a year show signs of autoimmune disease, according to a study published today (Thursday) [...]
Inhibiting Ovarian Cancer Growth Using Gold Nanoparticles
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is among the deadliest human cancers and its prognosis remains extremely poor. An article published in Advanced Science explored the self-therapeutic properties of gold nanoparticles to identify a molecular axis that [...]
New Strategy To Help Chitosan Nanocrystals Target Cells
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and lyse microbial cells by interaction with biomembranes, offering great potential in designing new therapeutics. The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) caused due to overuse of [...]
Drug turns cancer gene into ‘eat me’ flag for immune system
Tumor cells are notoriously good at evading the human immune system; they put up physical walls, wear disguises and handcuff the immune system with molecular tricks. Now, UC San Francisco researchers have developed a [...]
New Adjustments to Hyperspectral Microscopy of Nanomaterials
Hyperspectral microscopy is an advanced visualization technique that combines hyperspectral imaging with state-of-the-art optics and computer software to enable rapid identification of nanomaterials. Since hyperspectral datacubes are large, their acquisition is complicated and time-consuming. [...]
Nanoplatforms in Imaging-Guided Brain Tumor Treatment
Malignant brain tumors are cancerous growth in the brain with the possibility of spreading to other parts of the central nervous system (CNS). Brain tumors are highly invasive and have devastating consequences, poor prognosis, [...]
Through the quantum looking glass
An ultrathin invention could make future computing, sensing and encryption technologies remarkably smaller and more powerful by helping scientists control a strange but useful phenomenon of quantum mechanics, according to new research recently published [...]
Good Biocompatibility for Nanocapsules with Healthcare Applications
Methacrylate-based materials are often used in bone cement and dental resins. However, they have high failure rates as they undergo damage within ten years, impacting the quality of patient’s life and increasing healthcare costs. [...]
Portable SARS-CoV-2 Sensor Using Freestanding Laser-Induced Graphene
Early diagnosis of an infectious viral disease can help the patients and health care professionals monitor the outbreaks accurately and provide treatment at the early stage of a disease, avoiding any detrimental consequences. The [...]
“Nanorattles” shake up new possibilities for disease detection
Researchers at Duke University have developed a unique type of nanoparticle called a “nanorattle” that greatly enhances light emitted from within its outer shell. Loaded with light scattering dyes called Raman reporters commonly used [...]
Modified microwave oven cooks up next-gen semiconductors
A household microwave oven modified by a Cornell Engineering professor is helping to cook up the next generation of cellphones, computers and other electronics after the invention was shown to overcome a major challenge [...]
How Can Ion Diffusion Kinetics Influence Nanopore Sensing?
Nanopore sensing has emerged as a versatile approach to detecting and identifying biomolecules. Within this frame of reference, the fast-responding ionic current is considered an essential criterion for accurately measuring small objects with [...]
A plastic film that can kill viruses using room lights
Graphical abstract. Credit: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2022.112551 Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have developed a plastic film that can kill viruses that land on its surface with room light. The [...]
Bone formation comes down to the nanowire
Nanotechnology that accelerates the transition of stem cells into bone could advance regenerative medicine. A nanotechnology platform developed by KAUST scientists could lead to new treatments for degenerative bone diseases. The system takes advantage [...]
