Optimization of Test Parameters That Influence Erosive Wear Behaviors of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites by Using the Taguchi Method

Abstract

This study describes the development of a multicomponent composite system consisting of thermoplastic epoxy resin reinforced with E-glass fiber and silicon dioxide (SiO2) particles and investigates its erosion behavior under different operating conditions. Due to the increasing importance of composites in engineering applications and the need to tackle solid particle erosion in various industrial sectors, the study aims at finding how these composites behave in such type of wear. The composite specimens used for the tests were classified into three types; pure glass fiber (GF)–epoxy, those with addition of SiO2 particles at an amount of 15% and the last group had SiO2 particles added at 30% of the resin used for the materials. The experiments were carried out by selecting three different impact velocities, three different impingement angles, and angular alumina abrasive particles having approximate sizes of 200 μm. The fiber directions used were 0/90/0 and 45/ − 45/45. SEM views belonging to the specimens were taken before and after the tests in order to investigate the differences and the causes of the surface damages. Moreover, it is found that the Taguchi's robust orthogonal array method provides a simple, systematic, and efficient methodology for the optimization of the erosion wear parameters. At the end of the tests, the most significant factor in affecting the erosion rate is found to be the impingement angle, followed by the impact velocity, fiber direction, and filler material.

Determination of solid particle erosion with Taguchi optimization approach of hybrid composite systems

“…As more filler material is infiltrated into the structure accumulation of the material in the new composite becomes intensive and as the particles bombard the specimen surfaces, it becomes easier for the particles to remove the top surface layer of the specimen. In addition to this, Bagci et al [13] observed that the only SiO 2 added into the resin has had a reducing effects on erosion wear. That is, it has increased the GF/EP composite material's wear resistance.…”

“…In addition to all these details which define the test specimens, as shown in Figure 1, the X-ray difraction patterns were obtained in order to prove the presence of the added 15%Al 2 O 3 , 15%SiO 2 , 30%Al 2 O 3 and 30%SiO 2 additives into the structure [12][13]. Moreover, the presence of glass fiber and epoxy as the main materials and (Al 2 O 3 +SiO 2 ) particles added into the structure at the amount of 30% (15%Al 2 O 3 +15%SiO 2 ) of the resin used for the composite are given more details on the Figure 2.…”

Mechanical and tribological properties of self-lubricating bio-based carbon-fabric epoxy composites made using liquid composite molding

“…Taguchi technique is a well-known DOE tool to study the effect of test parameters on properties, specifically, wear and friction is more interested [51,52]. By using the L 27 Taguchi experimental design, COF and wear rate were studied and the process parameters for wear behavior were optimized.…”

Influence of fiber orientation on solid particle erosion of uni/multidirectional carbon fiber/glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites

“…Meanwhile, advanced scientific researches on these materials are progressively carried out. 1–6 Erosion wear is formed when solid particles moving at a certain velocity impact a surface and remove some materials off the top surface. Impingement angle (15°–90°), 7,8 velocity (≈16–88 m/s), 9 size (≈42–500 µm) and shape (spherical and angular) of the impacting particles (Garnet, SiC, Al 2 O 3 , and SiO 2 ), 10 as well as the properties of target material 11–13 are important variables that affect the solid particle erosion behavior.…”