Study on Tensile Properties of Fly Ash, Sugarcane Fiber and Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composite Using...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sustainable Engineering

Background:

• Composite materials are crucial for eco-friendly applications.
• Fly ash and sugarcane fiber are abundant waste materials, offering cost-effective and biodegradable composite solutions.
• Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) can enhance composite properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the optimal composition of fly ash, sugarcane fiber, and CNTs for reinforced composites.
• To simultaneously maximize yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and Young's modulus.
• To apply advanced optimization algorithms for material design.

Main Methods:

• Design of Experiments (DOE) with ANOVA to generate regression equations.
• Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm with Decomposition (MOEA/D) for optimizing multiple mechanical properties.
• Fabrication and mechanical testing (Shimadzu UTM) of optimized composite materials.

Main Results:

• The MOEA/D algorithm identified optimal compositional values for the composite materials.
• A specific mixture (0.2 wt.% fly ash, 2 wt.% sugarcane fiber, 0.39 wt.% CNTs) yielded maximum mechanical properties.
• Achieved maximum yield strength of 7.52 MPa and Young's modulus of 1281.18 MPa, with notable ultimate tensile strength of 10.54 MPa.

Conclusions:

• The optimized composite material demonstrates significant potential for sustainable applications.
• MOEA/D is an effective tool for optimizing multi-objective mechanical properties in composite materials.
• The developed composite offers a promising eco-friendly alternative with enhanced performance.