To read this content please select one of the options below:

Effect of nanoclay, glass fiber volume and orientation on tensile strength of epoxy-glass composite and optimization using Taguchi method

Shanti Kiran Zade (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India)
Suresh Babu V. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India)
Sai Srinadh K.V. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India)

World Journal of Engineering

ISSN: 1708-5284

Article publication date: 9 April 2018

480

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to manufacture test boards for re-enacting plant or field situations where vacuum chamber for expelling gas bubbles and autoclave equipment would not be accessible. This research focuses on the examination and enhancement of tensile strength for the nanocomposites consisting of uniaxial glass fiber mats, nanoclay (NC) and epoxy.

Design/methodology/approach

The parameters considered are the weight content of Cloisite 15A NC, the volume of glass fiber (Vgf) and the direction of glass fibers (θ). The composites are made by hand lay-up technique and tested according to ASTM D 638 standard. Taguchi L9 orthogonal array is used to design the experiments.

Findings

The results imply that the orientation of fibers exhibited high significance with a p-value of 0.001 for the upgrade of strength. NC percentage and the volume of fiber have a low effect as the p-values obtained were 0.375 and 0.294. Confirmation tests were performed at the optimal levels of parameters and the outcomes were in the permissible range of the anticipated values of S/N ratio and mean tensile strength. The negligible effect of nanoclay is due to the lack of infusion of resin into the d-spacing of clay layers due to the low configuration settings of mixing conditions which was confirmed by XRD studies. The negligible effect of glass fiber volume is due to the void content and lack of stress transfer between fibers uniformly due to the void content and improper mixing of nanoclay.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of this study is that a low-speed mechanical stirrer was used to mix NC in the epoxy and the mixture was not subjected to vacuum and ultrasonication for degassing and deagglomeration.

Practical implications

These composites can be used as substitute materials in place of metallic parts in the aerospace and automobile sector. These composites can be used in civil structures instead of steel and concrete, which have low strength-to-weight ratio and where the requirement of strength is in the range of 60 to 390 MPa.

Social implications

The composites can be used in a variety of applications, for example, structural works, automotive panels and low-cost housing.

Originality/value

This research gives an idea about the combined contribution of NC, Vgf and “θ” to the improvement of tensile strength of the glass-epoxy composite.

Keywords

Citation

Zade, S.K., V., S.B. and K.V., S.S. (2018), "Effect of nanoclay, glass fiber volume and orientation on tensile strength of epoxy-glass composite and optimization using Taguchi method", World Journal of Engineering, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 312-320. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJE-08-2017-0286

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles