Title: Performance assessment of vegetable oil and mineral oil blends during heat treatment of medium carbon steel

Authors: Joseph Babalola Agboola; Oladiran Kamardeen Abubakre; Edeki Mudiare; Michael Bolaji Adeyemi

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 65, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract: Cooling effect of palm kernel oil and mineral oil (SAE 40) with their blends as quenching media for heat treatment of medium carbon steel was investigated. Palm kernel oil was blended with SAE 40 in the ratio of 1 : 3, 1 : 1 and 3 : 1. Medium carbon steel probe of diameter 12.5 mm and 60 mm height was used to determine the cooling intensities of the oils and their blends. Mechanical properties and microstructure of the quenched steel samples were determined. Quench severity of pure palm kernel oil was found to be greater than that of SAE 40. The blend consisting of 75% palm kernel oil and 25% mineral oil showed higher cooling power as compared to other blends. Samples quenched in 100% palm kernel oil showed higher hardness values than the blends whereas samples quenched in 100% mineral oil (SAE 40) showed the least hardness value.

Keywords: vegetable oil; mineral oil; blends; quenching; quench severity; performance evaluation; heat treatment; medium carbon steel; palm kernel oil; cooling effect; microstructure; SAE 40; hardness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2016.079141

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2016 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.203 - 213

Received: 17 Jul 2015
Accepted: 07 Dec 2015
Published online: 14 Sep 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article