Optimization of flexural properties of glass/carbon/durian skin fiber reinforced polymer composites using the mixture design approach

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility of employing durian skin fiber (DSF) waste as a reinforcing agent for a composite material composed of glass fiber, carbon fiber and polylactic acid (PLA). We used mixture design methodology and the response surface methodology to determine the optimal proportion of composite material for enhancing flexural strength and flexural modulus. The composite material was prepared using an injection molding process, and the fracture surface was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using response surface methodology, we established mathematical relationships between composite material parameters and desired responses. Then, we optimized them using multi-objective methods to determine the optimal process parameters. Validation tests show agreement between predicted and actual values. The optimal composite formula has 0.00 wt% glass fiber, 15.66 wt% carbon fiber, 14.34 wt% DSF and 70.00 wt% PLA.

Keywords

• mixture design
• composite material
• injection molding
• durian skin fiber
• flexural properties