Fabrication, Mechanical Characterization and WearResponse of Hybrid Composites Filled with Red Mud

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AMAE Int. J. on Manufacturing and Material Science, Vol. 02, No. 02, May 2012

Fabrication, Mechanical Characterization and Wear Response of Hybrid Composites Filled with Red Mud: an Alumina Plant Waste Hemalata Jena1, Alok Ku. Satapathy2 1

Department of Mechanical Engg., Indian Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar, India-751013 hemalatajena@iitbbs.ac.in 2 Department of Mechanical Engg., National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India-769 008 alok.satapthy@gmail.com material in various polymer matrices. Hard particulate fillers consisting of ceramic or metal particles and fibre fillers made of glass are being used these days to dramatically improve the wear resistance, even up to three orders of magnitude [5].The present research work has been undertaken, with an objective to modify its mechanical and erosion wear performance of the resulting composites with red mud of different filler loading condition.

Abstract—With increased environmental threat it has become necessary to find out alternative uses of industrial wastes and to develop value added products using them. This work is a step in that direction. A possibility that the incorporation of both particles and fibres in polymer could provide a synergism in terms of improved properties. In view of this, the present piece of research is undertaken which includes the fabrication of a set of glass-polyester composites using red mud an alumina plant waste product as the particulate filler. It also attempts to study the solid particle erosion wear response of these composites under multiple impact condition. The methodology based on Taguchi’s experimental design approach is employed to make a parametric analysis of erosion wear process. This systematic experimentation has led to determination of significant process parameters and material variables that predominantly influence the wear rate of the particulate filled composites reinforced with glass fibre. This work, therefore proposes a correlation derived from the results of Taguchi experimental design. Using Taguchi method for analysis, the significant control factors predominantly influencing the wear rate are identified. The filler content in the composites, the impingement angle and impact velocity are found to have substantial influence in determining the rate of material loss from the composite surface due to erosion.

II.EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS A. MATERIALS Unsaturated isophthalic polyester resin (density 1.35g/ cc, elastic modulus 3.25 GPa) supplied by Ciba-Geigy of India is the matrix material in the present investigation. Red mud used as the filler material in this work has been collected from the site of Vedanta alumina plant Lanjigarh in India. It is alkaline, thixotropic and possesses a true density of 3.3 g/cc. Chemical analysis of red mud used in composite making for this investigation suggests its composition as : Fe2O3 44.6%, Al2O3 15.6% , SiO2 15.4% , TiO2 8.5% , Na2O 6.7% % and traces of CaO and MgO. In the present work, woven roving E-glass fibers (supplied by Saint Gobain Ltd. India) have been used as the reinforcing material. The major constituents of E-glass are silicon oxide (54 wt %), aluminum oxide (15 wt %), calcium oxide (17 wt %), magnesium oxide (4.5 wt %) and boron oxide (8 wt %). E-glass fiber has an elastic modulus of 72.5 GPa and possess a density of 2.59 gm/cc.

Index Terms—Hybrid Composite, Red Mud, Erosion Wear Rate, Taguchi Method

I. INTRODUCTION Production of alumina from bauxite by the Bayer’s process is associated with the generation of red mud as the major waste material in alumina industries worldwide. Depending upon the quality of bauxite, the quantity of red mud generated varies from 55-65% of the bauxite processed [1]. Detailed characterization of red mud generated from NALCO aluminium refinery at Damanjodi, India is reported by Mohapatra et al. [2] and of some other sources by various authors [3]. To obtain the desired properties from a hybrid composite system, reinforcement and fillers are added to the polymers [4]. The additional improvements in mechanical and tribological properties are in many cases attained through the incorporation of glass or carbon fibre reinforcement and through the filling of particulate matters. Red mud is ceramic rich industrial waste and has potential to be used as filler © 2012 AMAE DOI: 01.IJMMS.02.02.510

B. COMPOSITE FABRICATION The fabrication of the composite slabs will be done by conventional hand-lay-up technique with (D, E, F, G, H) and without (A, B, C) fibre mats followed by light compression moulding technique. The varying composition and the composite designations have to taken as shown in the Table 1. The fillers will mixed thoroughly in the polyester resin before the respective fibre mats are reinforced into the matrix body. The composite slabs are made by conventional handlay-up technique. 2% cobalt nephthalate (as accelerator) is mixed thoroughly in the polyester resin and then 2% methylethyl-ketone-peroxide (MEKP) as hardener is mixed in the resin prior to reinforcement. Each ply of fibre is of dimension 27


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