Optimization and analysis of process parameters of melt quenching technique for multiple performances of rare earth doped barium borate glass synthesis using Taguchi's design and grey relational approach

Abstract

Glass materials with strong physical, structural, and optical properties are in high demand in today's social and industrial sectors. Researchers have recently established the extensive uses of these widely utilized glassy materials in optoelectronic devices, aerospace, nuclear industries, etc. Optimization usually plays a significant role in the synthesis of material. Hence, this article uses the statistical optimization of multiple process parameters of the melt quenching technique for rare earth doped barium borate glass 60B2O3-(40-X)BaO-XMO (MO-Er2O3/CeO2 and X = 0.5,1.0,1.5 mol percentage)by Taguchi's Design of Experiment. The multiple performance characteristics were studied using Grey relational analysis. An experimental format for preparing the Barium Borate glass was utilized with a standard L9 orthogonal array designed by Taguchi. Grey relational analysis was used to analyze the effects of processing parameters, including melting temperature, the composition of rare-earth oxide, and melting time of glasses on density, refractive index, and indirect bandgap. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed the influence of process parameters on the multiple response parameters as directed by the S/N ratio of the response parameter. The prediction of optimal conditions for contributing process parameters to the multiple response parameters was estimated efficiently. Additionally, as compared to the initial conditions, the optimal confirmatory experiment exhibited a considerable improvement in the response parameters (refractive index, density, and indirect bandgap). Grey relational grade and analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that melting temperature to be sole factor significantly affecting multiple responses with a 95% confidence level. The objective of the work is to optimize the melt quenching process parameters and their influence on the physical and optical properties of glass for photonic applications. Using this optimization method, melt quenching was found to be the most influential parameter contributing about 73–74% in tuning the desired response parameters. The findings also revealed a very less deviation between the statistically predicted and experimental data of response parameter, with deviation ranging from 0.37 to 2.14%. This good agreement between experimental and predicted values of response parameters indicated the suitability of Taguchi method of optimization for melt quenching technique.