Multi-Response Optimization on Mechanical Properties of Silica Fly Ash Filled Polyester Composites Using Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis

Since engineering polymers are being utilized in many engineering applications such as automobile and chemical plants, it is very important to enhance the mechanical properties of such polymers by deriving the multiple response based optimal process parameter combination. In the present study, an attempt has been made to analyze and derive the optimal combinations of process parameters involved in fabrication of silica fly ash filled polymer matrix composites to enhance the mechanical properties such as hardness, flexural strength and moisture absorption using the Taguchi-grey relational approach. The percentage of fly ash, mixing time and size of the filler have been considered as the input process parameters. The Analysis of variance has been carried out to validate the model and verify the most significant parameter. It has been observed that ball milling hours has the most influence on the performance measures of the fabricated polyester composite owing to its importance in determining the size of FA particles.