Mechanical characterization and enhancing wear properties of Glass/Sisal/nAl2O3strengthened polymer matrix nanocomposites using hybrid optimization approach

Abstract

• A novel glass/sisal fiber hybrid nanocomposite with different nano- nAl 2 O 3 fillers has been developed with 2 wt. % nAl 2 O 3 outperforming other composites. • G/S/2%nAl ₂ O ₃ composites have 1.77 times the tensile strength, 1.41 times the flexural strength, and 1.25 times the shore D hardness of G/S/0% nAl₂O₃. • G/S/2% Al 2 O 3 composites shows 7 folders lower wear rate than G/S/0% Al 2 O 3 composites • Stronger interfacial bonding strength between the fiber and matrix and uniform dispersion of nAl2O3 lead to improved wear properties. • The TOPSIS-PCA technique reveals the optimal settings are the G/S/2%n Al2O3 nanocomposite, an axial load of 10 N, and sliding velocity of 0.419 m/s. Numerous industries require high-performance composite materials, and glass/sisal fiber-reinforced composites are promising due to their mechanical features and ecological benefits. Composites typically limit mechanical strength, impact resistance, and extreme-condition durability. This investigation intends to examine the mechanical characteristics of hybrid glass/sisal fiber (GF/SF) with different weight proportions of nano Al 2 O 3 (nAl 2 O 3 ) fillers strengthened composites and to optimize their wear features using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)-Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique. The vacuum infusion method was employed to produce the nano hybrid composite materials. Porosity, Shore D hardness, tensile, flexural, and impact testing were carried out to evaluate the mechanical features of composites. Tribological tests were done using a pin-on-disc tribometer. The results demonstrate that the laminates with 2 wt. % n Al 2 O 3 outperformed the other composites while GF/SF/0% nAl 2 O 3 exhibits the lowest mechanical and wear characteristics. The GF/SF/2% nAl2O3 composite's better characteristics are due to less porosity and better bonding amid the matrix and fibers. The broken surface under tensile testing shows a brittle fracture with voids, fiber fracture, fiber pullout, and severe matrix delamination. The optimization results show that the best settings are the GF/SF/2%nAl 2 O 3 nanocomposite, an axial load (AL) of 10 N, and a sliding velocity (SV) of 0.419 m/s . The analysis of variance data illustrates that the composite material has the most impact, accounting for 33.58% of the obtained responses. The SV and AL were the next most significant variables, contributing 31.8% and 21.6%, respectively.

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