Abstract:
Minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) machining
has been widely explored as an alternative to cutting fluids,
which are known to be major sources of operator health hazards
and environmental pollution. However, the lubricants
employed in MQL machining have limitations and quest for
a more sustainable and effective lubricant continues. Ionic
liquids, which have been explored for many engineering applications
including tribology, can be strong candidates as
environmentally friendly lubricants for sustainable machining
applications due to their eco-friendly nature and flexible physical
as well as chemical properties. This study aims to investigate
the feasibility and effectiveness of ionic liquids as lubricants
inMQL machining, and to study their actionmechanism
as lubricants in extremely demanding conditions encountered
in metal cutting. This paper presents the results of a pioneering
study conducted to investigate the effects of three representative
ionic liquids on the tribology of machining when applied
as additives to vegetable oil (Canola) in MQL milling of a
plain medium carbon steel. The results demonstrate that the
presence of even small quantities of ionic liquids significantly
affects the tribological conditions of the machining process,
has a great potential to be applied to metalworking fluids in
near dry machining conditions, and can be considered as a
potential way to reduce forces during machining, thus reducing
energy usage and achieving sustainable machining.
