Optimization of Abrasive Wear Behaviour of Cenosphere Filled Basalt-Epoxy Composites Using Taguchi Approach

Abstract

The current research work investigates the three-body abrasive wear analysis of cenosphere particulate filled chopped basalt fiber (40 wt.% constant) reinforced epoxy composites for developing light weight, low cost, and sustainable composite. The effect of cenosphere particulate on the composite was investigated. The composite laminates are fabricated by traditional open mold casting technique. The cenosphere particulate is mixed (0-15 wt.%, step of 5 wt.%) in the composites. Abrasive wear process input parameters like: filler loading, normal load, sliding distance, and abrasive size are optimize by using Taguchi design of experiments. From the results, it is clearly seen that 10 wt.% cenosphere filled basalt-epoxy composite (EBC 10) shows lowest abrasive wear rate in a steady state abrasive wear condition (with a variation in sliding distance and normal load). Taguchi experimental design technique is an effective optimization technique and gives a better outcome.