Effect of molybdenum disulfide nanofluid application as coolant in milling process of Al8Si3Cu aluminum alloy

Abstract

This paper represents the results of application of molybdenum disulfide nanofluid as coolant in milling process of Al8Si3Cu aluminum alloy. During the experiments, the effects of dry, flood-cooling and MoS₂ nanofluid cooling conditions on cutting temperature and surface roughness of work-piece in milling process were investigated. The cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut were considered as the input parameters in the range between 80 and 315 mm/min, 80-160 m/min and 0.2 to 0.8 mm, respectively. It was found that the application of molybdenum disulfide nanofluid as a lubricant significantly reduced the surface roughness of work-piece in end milling process. The present of nanoparticles as additives in the coolant was proved to reduce the deterioration of surface quality caused by activated adhesion during cutting operation. This is confirmed by reduction in cutting temperature in milling using MoS₂ nanofluid as compared with dry and flood cooling milling processes. The lowest surface roughness was found to be equal to 0.173 μm at cutting speed of 80 m/min, feed rate of 80 mm/min, and depth of cut of 0.2 mm in end milling process using MoS₂ nanofluid cooling condition. Based on the results, the maximum reduction in surface roughness in end milling process of Al8Si3Cu aluminum alloy with application of MoS₂ nanofluid lubrication in comparison to dry and flood cooling conditions were recorded as 91 and 87.7%, respectively. In addition, cutting temperatures were reduced in milling process with MoS₂ nanofluid lubrication by 56.8% and 35.3% as compared with that of dry and flood cooling conditions, respectively.