• Effect of nanographene-MQL on CFRP drilling hole quality is studied. • Tests varied feed rates and nanographene concentrations. • Best results at 0.05 mm/rev feed and 0.5% nanographene-MQL. • Nanographene-MQL reduces roughness, delamination, and fluid use. • Hole diameter accuracy and delamination factor were evaluated. Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs) are widely used in aerospace due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and durability, yet drilling remains challenging because of delamination and poor surface quality. This study explores the effect of nanographene-enhanced minimum quantity lubrication (NMQL) on drilling aerospace-grade CFRPs, a novel approach compared to conventional nanoparticle-based MQL. Drilling trials were performed at feed rates of 0.05, 0.065, and 0.08 mm/rev with graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) concentrations of 0.5 and 1 wt.%. Hole quality was assessed by surface roughness, delamination, and dimensional accuracy. The best performance was obtained at 0.5 wt.% GNP and 0.05 mm/rev, reducing average surface roughness by up to 43.9% compared to base-fluid MQL. These results highlight the potential of graphene-assisted lubrication to improve hole quality in CFRP drilling while supporting more sustainable and resource-efficient aerospace manufacturing.
Sağener et al. (Sun,) studied this question.