Aqueous compositions, aqueous cutting fluid using the same, method for preparation thereof, and cutting method using the cutting fluid

Abstract

An aqueous cutting fluid which can reduce the impact on working environment and the global environment, and can achieve both preventing precipitates from becoming a hard cake and keeping high dispersibility for abrasive grains is provided. Such an aqueous cutting fluid is obtained by a method comprising dispersing abrasive grains (G) in an aqueous composition comprising a dispersion medium (M) containing a hydrophilic alcohol compound such as ethylene glycol, a lipophilic alcohol compound such as propylene glycol and water, and silica colloid particles dispersed stably in the medium. The dispersion medium (M) is odorless and not flammable. The abrasive grains (G) may settle out after a time, but they do not closely contact with one another, and therefore the resulting precipitates do not become a hard cake, which allows the re-dispersion and reuse of precipitated grains. The instant aqueous cutting fluid is inherently low viscous, and the reduction of viscosity owing to the contamination of water and the increase of viscosity owing to contamination of shavings are both moderate. As a result, the cutting fluid has a long life. And articles which have been cut using the cutting fluid can be washed with water. Further, as the dispersion medium (M) is a biodegradable low molecular weight organic compound, a waste liquid from a process using the cutting fluid can be disposed with an activated sludge.