Physics-Based Study of Graphene Colloidal Systems as Metal Working Fluids for Micro-Machining Applications

本奖项的研究目的是检验四个关键石墨烯血小板设计因素的假设，即：(1)血小板形状和大小；(2)血小板内石墨烯层数；(3)石墨烯与分散介质之间的界面表面化学；(4)石墨烯浓度对石墨烯增强金属工液的润滑和冷却效率均有影响。这一目标将通过四个主要的研究任务来实现，即：(1)工程石墨烯薄片的制造及其胶体分散体的性能表征；(2)微车削实验，研究石墨烯血小板设计因素对金属加工液性能的影响；(3)负载石墨烯微液滴的冲击动力学和蒸发特性；(4)设计用于环保藻类油基切削液的石墨烯薄片。如果成功，这项研究将导致美国制造业使用的各种金属加工液的润滑和冷却性能的改善。这是一个价值数十亿美元的市场，影响着国防、航空航天、医疗保健和消费电子等关键领域所用产品的成本。它还将通过提供设计用于高性能环保切削液的石墨烯基添加剂所需的知识，推进可持续制造举措。作为这项研究的一部分开展的外展活动将鼓励纽约州的高中生以及新墨西哥州的纳瓦霍少数民族学生在科学和工程领域接受高等教育。

The research objective of this award is to test the hypothesis that the four key graphene platelet design factors, namely, (1) platelet shape and size; (2) number of graphene layers within a platelet; (3) interfacial surface chemistry between graphene and the dispersion medium; and (4) graphene concentration, all influence the lubrication and cooling efficiency of graphene-enhanced metal working fluids. This objective will be achieved by four major research tasks, namely, (1) manufacture of engineered graphene platelets and property characterization of their colloidal dispersions; (2) micro-turning experiments to study the effect of graphene platelet design factors on the performance of the metal working fluid; (3) characterization of the impact dynamics and evaporation of the graphene-laden micro-droplets; and (4) engineering the graphene platelets for use in environmentally benign algae oil-based cutting fluids.If successful, this research will result in the improvement of the lubrication and cooling performance of a wide variety of metal working fluids used by the manufacturing industry in the United States. This is a multi-billion dollar market that affects the cost of products used in key areas including defense, aerospace, health care and consumer electronics. It will also advance sustainable manufacturing initatives by providing the knowledge needed to design graphene-based additives for use in high-performance environmentally-benign cutting fluids. The outreach activities pursued as part of this research will encourage both the New York state high school students as well as the Navajo minority students in New Mexico, to pursue higher education in the fields of science and engineering.