OPTIMISING MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EPOXY MATRIX HYBRID COMPOSITES THROUGH SiC FILLER INTEGRATION AND FIBER REINFORCEMENT: THE TAGUCHI APPROACH

This research aimed to enhance the mechanical properties of epoxy hybrid composites by reinforcing the plain-woven carbon fabric with the addition of SiC filler. The effects of varying SiC filler weights (5, 10 and 15 wt%), SiC filler sizes (26, 54 and 72 mu m), and fiber orientations (0 degrees/90 degrees, 30 degrees/60 degrees, and 45 degrees/45 degrees) in hybrid epoxy composites on their mechanical properties were explored. A hand layup method was employed to fabricate the epoxy hybrid composites. Then, the fabricated samples were subjected to mechanical testing as per the ASTM standards. The inclusion of SiC particles led to a significant improvement in the performance of the epoxy hybrid composites. Moreover, the orientations of the fibers played a pivotal role in shaping the composite characteristics. Furthermore, Taguchi's L9 technique was used to identify the significant process parameters, resulting in a noteworthy 52% enhancement in efficiency compared to a full factorial design. Also, this study showed cost-effectiveness and resource efficiency by employing the Taguchi L9 technique over the full factorial design. Finally, the study concluded that significant parameters, including SiC particle size of 26 mu m, fiber orientation of 0 degrees/90 degrees, and particle weight ranging from 10 to 15%, enhanced the mechanical performance of the composites.