Nanofluid, fluid suspensions of nanometer sized particles are revolutionizing the field of heat transfer area. Addition of nano-particles to the base fluid also alters the lubricating properties by reducing the friction. In grinding process, friction between the abrasive grains and the workpiece is a key issue governing the main grinding output. It has a direct influence on grinding force, power, specific energy and wheel wear. Moreover, high friction force increases the heat generation and lead to thermal damage in the surface layer of the ground work. Hence, any effort towards the friction control will enhance the component quality significantly. In this study, nanofluid as metal working fluid (MWF) is made by adding 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1% volume concentration of Al2O3 and CuO nano-particles to the water during the surface grinding of Ti-6Al-4V in minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) mode. Surface integrity of ground surface, morphology of the wheel, and chip formation characteristics are studied using surface profilometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and stereo zoom microscopy (SZM). Coefficient of friction was estimated On-Machine using the measured forces. The results showed that the type of nanoparticle and its concentration in base fluid and the MQL flow rate play a significant role in reducing friction. Application of nanofluid leads to the reduction of tangential forces and grinding zone temperature. The cooling effect is also evident from the short C-type chip formation. MQL application with Al2O3 nanofluid helps in effective flushing of chip material from the grinding zone, thereby solving the main problem during the grinding of Ti-6Al-4V. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.