Understanding drop spreading behaviour on WC-10wt%Co cutting tools – an experimental and numerical study

WC-Co cutting tools performance under demanding conditions largely depend on the efficiency of fluid, mainly its ability to remove heat and reduce friction, both highly dependent wettability drop spreading behaviour fluid. In this context, study focuses machining fluid water in WC-10 wt%Co surface. Contact angles were experimentally measured then used for performing numerical simulations by level set method. A contact angle 75.3˚ 92.8˚ distilled water, respectively, coincident values found simulation, as well a strong agreement shape. It was also possible observe that has lower time than due higher viscous dissipation, allowing reach equilibrium phase sooner. Also, presents radius meaning 24.2% area increase over 50 ms time. Furthermore, simulation showed drops capillary-inertial time, at early stage spreading, follow an exponential dependency with factor approximately t1/2, which indicates initial is driven controlled balance between inertial capillary forces. This work intends contribute knowledge phenomena drive tools, being development models predict utmost importance, since it can lead novel surface improved enhanced lubrification effect removal capacity closer zone during processes, consequently improvement tribological these tools.