Development and characterization of xanthan gum-based abrasive media and performance analysis using abrasive flow machining

Abstract In the Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM) process, a self-deformable abrasive media is used for the fine finishing of the workpiece. The development of polymer and rubber-based abrasive media includes long processing time, costly equipment and high preparation cost. The processing and disposal of these abrasive media harm both human health and the environment. Therefore, there need some alternate abrasive media which are not only cost-effective but also are eco-friendly. In this study, a low-cost hydrogel-based abrasive media has been developed for AFM. Xanthan Gum (XG) was used as the main constituent to develop hydrogel. Locust Bean Gum (LBG) and Fumed Silica (FS) were added as crosslinking and thickening agent, respectively. Finally, the abrasives were mixed in the hydrogel to develop abrasive media. The physical and thermal properties of developed XG-based abrasive media were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), sweep tests, Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The developed abrasive media showed shear-thinning behaviour during the sweep test and has also been found to be thermally stable in the operational temperature range of AFM. The required crosslinking and elasticity in abrasive media have been confirmed by FTIR analysis. The performance of developed abrasive media was evaluated by using it for the finishing of copper workpieces. The effect of extrusion pressure, number of cycles, and abrasive mesh size on the amount of material removed (MR) and percentage improvement in surface roughness ( % Δ R a ) have been discussed. The performance of XG-based abrasive media has also been compared with polymer-based abrasive media.