Parameter optimization of anisotropic polarization in magnetorheological elastomers for enhanced impact absorption capability using the Taguchi method

Abstract

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) are intelligent materials that exhibit changes in their properties when exposed to a magnetic field. By applying a magnetic field during the curing process, MRE can be made anisotropic. This study focuses on optimizing the fabrication process parameters using the design of an experimental approach, namely the Taguchi method. The parameters to be optimized for MRE fabrication include the number of coil turns, coil diameter, curing current, and curing time. Twenty-five sets of anisotropic MRE were fabricated and subjected to drop impact testing to evaluate their impact absorption capability. The results were further examined for a more comprehensive analysis using the signal-to-noise ratio, analysis of means, and analysis of variance. This rigorous examination aimed to pinpoint the optimal parameters and the key factors influencing the fabrication of the MRE. From the analysis result, it can be seen that the number of coil turns contributed to 63.36% of the entire MRE fabrication process. Furthermore, a well-defined composition for the MRE was identified, consisting of 200 coil turns, a coil diameter of 1.0 mm, an applied current of 1.2 A, and a curing time of 20 min.

Keywords

• mre
• anisotropic polarization
• taguchi method