Volume 11 Issue 2 ( June )

The characteristics of composite fiberboard can be influenced by several design factors, including the choice and characteristics of the reinforcement material, the matrix material and its proportion, curing conditions, processing methods and moisture content etc. This research specifically focuses on three critical factors: the type of reinforcement material used, the percentage of its weight when combined with epoxy and the curing time required to fabricate the composite fiberboard. The reinforcement materials used include Pistachio shell powder (PSP), Almond shell powder (ASP) and Walnut Shell Powder (WSP). The three levels of weight percentages are 20%, 30%, and 40%. The third factor i.e. curing time also has the three time levels as 24, 36, and 48 hours. Consequently, nine composite fiberboard samples were produced following the configurations specified by the L9 Orthogonal Array obtained from Taguchi Design. In order to assess the material's properties, the created samples were subjected to Flexural and Impact Strength tests. The results of these tests were then analyzed using Taguchi Analysis to identify the optimal design parameters. To validate the conclusions drawn from the Taguchi analysis, a Principal Component Analysis assisted Grey Relation Analysis was conducted on the output responses. It was observed that the optimal design choice aligns with the use of Reinforcement Material Pistachio Shell Powder at a 30% weight percentage, in conjunction with a curing time of 36 hours for achieving the highest flexural and impact strength.

Keywords: Shell waste; Composite Fiberboard; Flexural and Impact Strength; Taguchi-GRA-PCA;