This work aims to optimize the mechanical performance of ramie and kenaf fibers in epoxy composites developed using the hand layup technique. Fiber reinforcement at 0-10 wt% and benzoyl chloride treatment at 0-5 wt% were incorporated with this composites. Taguchi-based grey relational analysis (GRA) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods were used to determine the optimized conditions for overall mechanical properties of the developed composites. Optimization techniques concluded that 10 wt% ramie (R)/10 wt % kenaf (K) with 5 wt% benzoyl chloride treatment (T) based epoxy composites observed good mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strength of 37.39 MPa, ultimate flexural strength of 63.53 MPa, and impact strength of 70.36 J/m due to hybridization and the reduction in hydrophilic nature by the surface treatment process. The optimized GRA and TOPSIS combination with 10 wt% R/10 wt% K/5 wt % of T observed reduced water absorption nature with a contact angle of 64.72 .
K E Y W O R D Sepoxy composite, grey relational analysis (GRA), kenaf, ramie, technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS)
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.