An Evaluation of the Tribological Behavior of Cutting Fluid Additives on Aluminum-Manganese Alloys

Abstract

The introduction of additives enhances the friction and wear reduction properties of cutting fluids (CFs) as well as aids in improving the surface quality of the machined parts. This study examines the tribological behavior of polymer-based and phosphorus-based additives introduced into cutting fluids for the machining of Al-Mn alloys. Ball-on-disc tests were used to evaluate the coefficient of friction (COF) and lubrication failure temperature to study the performance of the additives in the cutting fluids. Surface characterization was performed on the sliding tracks induced on the Al-Mn disc surfaces and used to propose the wear and friction reduction mechanisms. The polymer-based additive possessed a higher temperature at which lubrication failure occurred, displayed comparable COF at a lower temperature under certain conditions, and possessed a steadier tribological behavior. However, the phosphorus-based additive was observed to display lower COF and wear damage from 200 °C till failure. The lower COF values for the phosphorus-based additive at 200 °C corresponded with lower surface damage on the Al-Mn surface. The phosphorus-based additive’s performance at 200 °C could be attributed to the forming of a phosphorus-rich boundary layer within the sliding wear track, resulting in less surface damage on the Al-Mn surface and lower material transfer to the counterface steel ball surface.