Investigation of agricultural waste and ZrB2 nanoparticles with reinforcement in aluminum alloy matrix

Abstract

Agricultural waste has the potential to serve several purposes, such as reinforcement. In recent times, researchers have incorporated agricultural waste into various materials with the aim of enhancing their qualities. By acting as a kind of reinforcement, it has the potential to decrease the quantity of agricultural waste that needs further processing. This work enhances the area of advanced materials by examining the characteristics of Al 7175 alloy reinforced with zirconium diboride (ZrB2) nanoparticles and rice husk ash, which is a byproduct of agriculture. Understanding and improving the wear resistance of composites is crucial in several industrial applications. This study involves the incorporation of ZrB2 nanoparticles into the Al 7175 alloy at three distinct concentrations, with the addition of 2.5 % rice husk. This study examines the correlation between wear parameters and responses (Cf), including friction force (FF), wear rate (Sf), and friction coefficient. Sliding distance, load, composition, and speed are among the wear parameters. The aforementioned combinations result in a load of 25.2 N, a rotational speed of 400 rpm, a sliding distance of 71.2 m, and a composition of 5 %. Taguchi signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) analysis is used to identify optimal combinations for minimizing Cf, Sf, and FF. Confirmation tests are conducted in order to ensure that the results align with the expected optimal combinations. Data scientists may also use an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model as a valuable tool. It utilizes input data to forecast replies. The ANN model demonstrates strong performance throughout testing, validation, and training, with an overall prediction rate of 87.873 %. The study's results indicate that reducing the load and speed, while increasing the concentration of ZrB2 nanoparticles, may effectively decrease the wear rate. In addition, the use of rice husk enhances the wear resistance of the base alloy by 28 %. The alloy Al 7175 may experience a reduction in wear rate and friction coefficients by the incorporation of 2.5 % rice husk and 5 % ZrB2 nanoparticles.