Sterilization of cutting fluid by atmospheric-pressure plasma and liquid plasma

Abstract

Plasma sterilization of bacteria in cutting fluid was performed under atmospheric pressure and in-liquid, and the tribological properties of the resulting fluid were investigated. The number of bacteria colonies in the fluid sterilized by plasma under atmospheric pressure and in liquid was reduced by more than 90% compared with the untreated fluid. After exposure to ultraviolet light, no comparable reduction was observed. The plasma treated cutting fluids maintained a low friction coefficient 2.4 times longer than the untreated fluid. The study demonstrated that the life of a cutting fluid can be prolonged by this novel plasma treatment with an associated improvement in tribological properties.