9525105 Manke Suppression of machining fluid misting is an area of major importance to automotive manufactures and related metalworking industries because of health concerns related to worker exposure to machining fluid mist in manufacturing plants. Previous research has led to the use of high molecular weight polyisobutylene (PIB) additives to reduce misting of straight oil machining fluids, and this mist control method is now being implemented in many automotive manufacturing facilities. This research will extend to water based machining fluids which are used much more widely than straight oil in the machining industry. Water-soluble polymers such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) have proven to be effective in suppressing misting of water-based machining fluids, which are used for about eighty percent of metalworking applications. But water-based machining fluids have much lower viscosities than straight oils, thereby requiring polymers of very high molecular weight to accomplish mist suppression, and they are often circulated at much higher flow rates. Consequently, mechanical degradation of water-soluble antimisting polymers and the need for frequent replenishment presents an economic barrier to widespread use of polymer mist control agents in water-based fluids. This research will investigate the behavior of: (1) unsubstituted PEO in a surfactant-oil emulsion where interactions between the PEO and surfactant micelles lead to associative thickening of elongational viscosity; (2) PEO chain ends substituted with hydrophobic blocks, which promote end-to-end associations in addition to polymer-micelle interactions; and 3) a Kraton triblock copolymer-oil system that will provide fundamental information on the elongational flow behavior of associative-thickening polymer systems. These systems will be investigated by light scattering, elongational flow rheometry, and mechanical and optical shear rheometry to elucidate associative structures and characterize the rheology of these structures b oth at equilibrium and under flow conditions. This research will seek to isolate and optimize associative interactions leading to high elongational viscosity. Atomization experiments will be carried out to evaluate associative mist suppression mechanisms directly. The outcome of this research is expected to be the development of practical associative polymers for mist suppression of water-based machining fluids. Machining fluids play a key role in determining the efficiency of the machining process. By far, the most ubiquitous fluid for machining and grinding is water based fluids which contain many additives to impart machining efficiency. However, when such a fluid is inhaled as a mist during working conditions, there is cause for concern of the operators' health. By successfully developing an economical, long lasting antimisting additive, this research has the potential to make the working environment safer in the metal working industry.
