ABSTRACT
This research concentrates on examining the microhardness and erosive wear resistance of the Epoxy-glass-clay nanocomposites. The microhardness of the Epoxy-glass composites filled with organic-modified Montmorillonite (OMMT) nanoclay particles is optimised to the maximum. The control factors selected for evaluation of microhardness are nanoclay wt. % (N), Glass fibre Vol. % (G), and Orientation angle of the fibres (O). At the optimised composition of the composite corresponding to the maximum hardness, the erosive wear studies were conducted at varying angle of impingement (θ), air stream pressure (P), incubation time (t), stand-off distance (d). The L9 orthogonal array was selected for microhardness testing, and the L27 orthogonal array was selected for solid particle erosive wear testing. The epoxy-glass-clay nanocomposites (EGCN) were fabricated using the hand lay-up method and tested as per ASTM standards. Anova analysis is used to find the effect each parameter on the results and the optimum conditions. The improvement in hardness and erosion resistance at the optimum set of parameters compared to the pristine epoxy and 65% glass-epoxy composite without nanoclay is observed to be 130%, 57%, 22%, 31%. The effects of parameters were explained with the support of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the eroded surfaces.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Z. Shanti Kiran
Mr Z. Shanti Kiran is currently pursuing his PhD in the Mechanical Engineering Department at National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India. His interested subjects are polymer composites, Design of Experiments, Materials Characterization, Mechanics of Solids, etc. He completed his M. Tech in the year 2011. He completed his B. Tech in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Anantapur, India, in the year 2008.
V. Babu
Dr V. Suresh Babu is currently working as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, and Warangal, India. His research interests are Design of Mechanisms, vibrations, condition monitoring, and composite materials, etc. He completed his PhD at Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in the year 2013. He has published ten papers in reputed international journals, presented his research work at 9 international conferences and three national conferences. Under his supervision, one candidate was awarded PhD; he also supervised 24 M. Tech projects and 5 B. Tech projects. Currently, he is supervising 4 PhDs, 2 M. Tech students and one B. Tech Project.
K. Srinadh
Dr K.V. Sai Srinadh is currently working as a Professor in the Department of the Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India. His research interests are the Mechanical behavior of materials, manufacturing processes Composite materials, etc. He completed his PhD at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India in the year 2004. He has published 25 papers in reputed international journals, presented his research work at 15 international conferences and 7 national conferences. Under his supervision, three candidates were awarded PhDs; he also supervised 14 M. Tech students and 4 B. Tech projects. Currently, he is supervising 3 PhDs, 2 M. Tech students and one B. Tech Project.