Effects of grinding α-β Titanium with 3% CNTs in CBN grinding wheel: An Experimental Study

Carbon Nano Tubes (CNTs) have found an immovable niche in the world of manufacturing in the form of reinforcements in composites. Their many advantageous properties have allowed their usage in innumerable ways and this has led to a plethora of innovations in engineering. In advanced manufacturing of very-hard-to-machine materials like titanium, where surface integrity is of prime importance, the presence of multi-walled CNTs even as less as 3% alongside Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) in grinding wheels, has demonstrated improved surface finish on Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). This proposed grinding wheel for use on Titanium, reduces surface roughness and improves Material Removal Rate (MRR) on the Titanium work pieces. It also shows slight improvement in the contour of the wheel.