Innovations in self-lubricating cutting inserts have positioned dry machining as an attractive manufacturing technology with minimal environmental footprint. Here, a novel self-lubricating ceramic cutting insert was developed by the incorporati. Innovations in self-lubricating cutting inserts have positioned dry machining as an attractive manufacturing technology with minimal environmental footprint. Here, a novel self-lubricating ceramic cutting insert was developed by the incorporation of 10 wt% molybdenum (Mo) in zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) by pressure-less sintering. Detailed char. ••Mo added self-lubricating ZTA cutting inserts prepared by pressure-less sintering.••5–10% improvement of fracture toughness found for Mo ZTA over monolithic ZTA.••Formation of lubricating tribo-films of MoO2 and MoO3 at tool-job interface••Remarkable improvement (~11%) of tool life in respect to commercial insert observed.Pressure-less sinteringSelf-lubricationEco-friendlyTool lifeAt present, researchers widely recommend ceramic composites for industrial and structural applications demanding a combination of wear resistance applications and good mechanical properties, such as adequate micro-hardness, fracture toughness, and bulk density [,, ]. However, poor intrinsic wear-resistant phenomena restrict their applications in various engineering fields. To overcome this difficulty, researchers have reinforced ceramic matrices with suitable secondary phases, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) [,,, ], graphene, CaF2, CuO [9,10], MoS2, WS2, and Mo [13,14], which provide excellent self-lubricating characteristics and enhanced wear resistance under a variety of service conditions.Recently,. 3.1. Response surface methodology (RSM)RSM (Response Surface Methodology) is a statistical tool which is useful for the modelling and analysis of cases where a large number of variables influence the responses of interest. In this study, the primary objective was to optimize these responses properly. The choice of process parameters along with the range and proper design of experiments are essential to apply RSM [33,36]. Cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut were selected as main process parameters. Three machining forces (Fx, Fy and Fz) and surface roughness were chosen as main response factors. The influences of the process parameters on these forces (Fx, Fy and Fz) and surface roughness were investigated and analysed by performing a combinatio.