Tribological Performance of MoS2-Filled Microtextured Cutting Tools During Dry Sliding Test

Abstract

Strict environmental laws enforced on manufacturing industries resulted in the development of alternative techniques to reduce or eliminate the use of lubricants during sliding contact as well as machining. Tribology plays a very important role for tool life in machining. To improve the life of cutting tool, cutting fluids are used. However, cutting fluids only penetrate into the region of sliding contact. In this study, the effect of surface texturing on plasma nitrided high-speed steel (HSS) pins during dry sliding test is investigated for understanding the performance of textured HSS tools in machining. Microtextures were fabricated using Vickers hardness tester on the surface of HSS pins. Tribological tests of molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) filled as well as unfilled microtextured HSS with area density of textures varying from 2% to 14% were performed with the aid of pin-on-disk tribometer against an abrasive sheet. Friction and wear performance were assessed in terms of the pin surface temperature, coefficient of friction (COF), wear, weight loss of the pin and wear rate. Worn-out test surfaces were observed under scanning electron microscope to understand the wear mechanism. The best results were obtained with MoS2-filled microtextures having 10% texture area density. Tool–chip interface temperature, cutting force, feed force, and centerline average (CLA) surface roughness were also assessed during machining test with 10% area density of textured cutting tools.