Optimization of Tensile Strengths Response of Plantain Fibres Reinforced Polyester Composites (PFRP) Applying Taguchi Robust Design

Innovative Systems Design and Engineering ISSN 2222-1727 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2871 (Online) Vol 3, No 7, 2012

15 Pages Posted: 21 Jan 2017

See all articles by Christian Emeka Okafor

Christian Emeka Okafor

Nnamdi Azikiwe University

Christopher Ihueze

Nnamdi Azikiwe University

A. J. Ujam

Enugu State University of Science and Technology

Date Written: January 19, 2017

Abstract

This study focuses on the use of control factors(volume fraction of fibers (A), aspect ratio of fibers (B) and fibers orientation (C)) to determine the optimum tensile strength of plantain fibers reinforced polyester resin. Tensile tests was conducted on the replicated samples of plantain empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polyester composite(PEFB) and plantain pseudo stem fiber reinforced polyester (PPS) respectively using Archimedes principles in each case to determine the volume fraction of fibers. To obtain the optimum properties a Monsanto tensometer were used conduct tensile tests to establish the control factor levels quality characteristics needed to optimize the mechanical properties being investigated. Taguchi robust design technique was applied for the greater the better to obtain the highest signal to noise ratio (SN ratio) for the quality characteristics being investigated employing Minitab 15 software. The optimum values of the control factors are established for empty fruit bunch composites and for pseudo stem fiber composite. The empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polyester matrix composite has the optimum tensile strength of 40.28MPa , while the pseudo stem plantain fiber reinforced matrix composite has the tensile strength of 30.51MPa. The properties studied depend greatly on the reinforcement combinations of control factors and the composites of empty fruit bunch are stronger in tension than that of pseudo stem.

Keywords: composite matrix, plantain fibers, tensile strength, pseudo-stem, empty fruit bunch. Taguchi.

Suggested Citation

Okafor, Christian Emeka and Ihueze, Christopher and Ujam, A. J., Optimization of Tensile Strengths Response of Plantain Fibres Reinforced Polyester Composites (PFRP) Applying Taguchi Robust Design (January 19, 2017). Innovative Systems Design and Engineering ISSN 2222-1727 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2871 (Online) Vol 3, No 7, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2902150

Christian Emeka Okafor (Contact Author)

Nnamdi Azikiwe University ( email )

PMB 5025
DE Anambra State
Nigeria

Christopher Ihueze

Nnamdi Azikiwe University ( email )

Enugu-Onitsha Expressway
PMB 5025
Awka, DE Anambra State 234
Nigeria

A. J. Ujam

Enugu State University of Science and Technology ( email )

Enugu
Enugu
Nigeria

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