International Journal of Advanced Engineering Application

Tool Wear, Surface Integrity and Sustainability Assessment in Minimum Quantity Lubrication Machining of Inconel 718 Using Nanofluid-Based Cutting Fluids

Author(s):Sandeep R. Kulkarni

Affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Page No: 36-40

Volume issue & Publishing Year: Volume 3, Issue 7, 2026/07/05

Journal: International Journal of Advanced Engineering Application (IJAEA)

ISSN NO: 3048-6807

DOI:

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Abstract:
Inconel 718, a nickel-based superalloy widely used in aerospace turbine components, presents severe machinability challenges arising from its low thermal conductivity, high work-hardening tendency, and chemical affinity for cutting tool materials at elevated temperature, conditions under which conventional flood cooling is both environmentally costly and only partially effective at controlling tool-chip interface temperature. This study evaluates minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) machining of Inconel 718 using nanofluid-enhanced cutting fluids — vegetable-oil-based MQL, Al2O3 nanofluid MQL, and MoS2 nanofluid MQL — benchmarked against dry cutting and conventional flood coolant across tool flank wear progression, surface roughness, cutting force and cutting-zone temperature, specific cutting energy, tool-chip interface temperature distribution, tool life, machining cost per component, and cutting fluid consumption with associated CO₂-equivalent emissions, using coated carbide inserts on a CNC turning centre across a cutting speed range of 40-120 m/min and feed rates of 0.05-0.25 mm/rev. MQL with MoS2 nanofluid achieves the lowest flank wear rate among all five conditions tested, extending tool life to 31.5 minutes against 11.2 minutes for dry cutting and 18.6 minutes for flood coolant, while reducing surface roughness to 0.78-1.05 µm across the tested speed range compared to 1.85-2.85 µm for dry cutting. Cutting force and cutting-zone temperature under MoS2 nanofluid MQL are reduced by 42% and 46% respectively relative to dry cutting, and the MQL nanofluid conditions reduce cutting fluid consumption to under 1 litre per 1000 components against 42 litres for flood coolant, with a corresponding 90% reduction in associated CO₂-equivalent emissions and a 55% reduction in machining cost per component relative to dry cutting. These findings establish nanofluid-enhanced MQL as a machinability and sustainability improvement strategy for Inconel 718 turning operations

Keywords: minimum quantity lubrication (MQL)

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