VEGETABLE SEED OIL-BASED MACHINING FLUIDS: A REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20832508Keywords:
Vegetable seed Oil, Machining, Cutting Fluids, Minimum Quantity Lubrication, Biodegradable LubricantsAbstract
This review investigates the potential of vegetable seed oils as sustainable, biodegradable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based metalworking fluids (MWFs). The study synthesizes existing research on the formulation, performance and application of vegetable oil-based metal working fluids. This choice was motivated by severe environmental; health and economic problems associated with the use of mineral oils. The findings revealed that vegetable oils, due to their polar fatty acid structure, offer superior inherent lubricity, excellent biodegradability, and effective cooling. It consistently outperforms dry machining and often rivals mineral oils by significantly reducing surface roughness, cutting temperature, tool wear, and cutting forces across operations like turning, milling, and drilling. The review highlights the critical role of additives (such as EP agents, antioxidants) and advanced formulations, including nanofluids and chemically modified oils, in overcoming challenges such as poor oxidative stability. Furthermore, sustainable application methods including minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) are emphasized as key to minimizing fluid consumption. Despite promising results, the findings identify persistent challenges of thermal instability, microbial susceptibility, and formulation complexity and underscores a significant research gap: the unexplored potential of African Elemi seed oil as a base for MWFs. The study concludes that vegetable seed oil-based MWFs are viable, eco-friendly solutions for green manufacturing, with future success depending on the optimization of non-edible oils, advanced additive packages, and hybrid application techniques.
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