Improvement of Quality Characteristics of an Epoxy-Based Composite Reinforced with Sisal (Agave Sissalana) Plant Fibre for Wind Turbine Blade Material using Taguchi Grey Relational Analysis

Authors

  • I. Iliyasu Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, NIGERIA
  • D. S. Yawas Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, NIGERIA
  • M. O. Afolayan Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, NIGERIA
  • S. Y. Aku Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, NIGERIA

Keywords:

Wind turbine blade material, Composites, Epoxy, sisal plant fibre, Taguchi Method, Grey-relational Analysis (GRA), ANOVA, multi-response optimization

Abstract

Natural fibres are possible substitutes for glass fibre in composite production because of their light weight, ease of production and biodegradability. The present study involves the use of Taguchi grey relational analysis to optimize the production process parameters of an epoxy based composite reinforced with sisal fibre. The process parameters optimized are Percentage by weight of the sisal reinforcement, curing temperature, post curing time and compounding pressure. A Taguchi L16   orthogonal array was designed and sixteen experimental runs were performed based on the designed experiments. Tensile strength and flexural modulus (stiffness) were recorded for each experiment based on the average responses computed from the Taguchi grey relational analysis. From the response table of the grey relational grades, the optimal set of parameters for enhanced tensile strength and flexural strength performance of the sisal-epoxy composite were identified to be 35% by weight of fibre, 1100C curing temperature, 1hr post curing time and 13MPa compounding pressure. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to identify the predominant factor and established that percentage by weight W has the highest effect of 61 % on the GRG. The optimum composite material had the following values, Ultimate Tensile Strength 27.22 MPa, Flexural Strength 51.84 MPa. The DMA results of the material showed a glass transition temperature of 61.90C.

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Published

2022-03-03

Issue

Vol. 41 No. 1 (2022): NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 41 NO. 1, JANUARY 2022

Section

Chemical, Industrial, Materials, Mechanical, Metallurgical, Petroleum & Production Engineering

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How to Cite

Improvement of Quality Characteristics of an Epoxy-Based Composite Reinforced with Sisal (Agave Sissalana) Plant Fibre for Wind Turbine Blade Material using Taguchi Grey Relational Analysis. (2022). Nigerian Journal of Technology, 41(1), 123-130. https://nijotech.com/index.php/nijotech/article/view/2679