Tensile and thermal properties of ceramic particulate and natural seaweed reinforced hybrid particulate polymer composites using the Taguchi approach

Mechanical and thermal properties are critical when selecting materials for structural and semi structural applications. Mechanical strength ensures durability, while thermal conductivity is essential for performance under heat or thermal stress. Together, these properties help to develop composites suited for demanding fields like electronics, automotive and aerospace. This study investigates the effect of various weight percentages of natural and ceramic fillers on the mechanical and thermal behaviours of polymer composites (PCs). Epoxy composite laminates are fabricated using the hand layup method, incorporating seaweed (SW), silicon carbide (SiC) and aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) as reinforcements. The design followed an L9 Taguchi orthogonal array, allowing for combinations of filler contents ranging from 2 to 6 wt.%. After fabrication, the laminates are subjected to waterjet cutting to prepare specimens for tensile and thermal conductivity testings. To identify the optimal parameter combinations, signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) are employed. The results demonstrate that ceramic fillers significantly enhance both tensile strength (TS) and thermal conductivity (TC). The PCs of SWSCAO, containing 6 wt% Al₂O₃, exhibits maximum TS (87 MPa). TS of the SWSCAO3 composite is 22.84% greater than that of the SWSCAO1 composite with minimal ceramic filler (2 wt.% of SiC and Al₂O₃). This elucidates that composites with minimal amount of seaweed and maximum SiC and Al₂O₃ content are the most tensile effective. Specifically, the SWSCAO3 composite exhibited a 22.84% increase in TC compared to the SWSCAO1 composite, which contained the higher concentration of ceramic filler content (SiC and Al₂O₃). Thermal conductivity tests are performed at varying heat inputs (5W, 10W, 15W and 20W), with results showing conductivity values ranging from 1.91 to 2.71 W/m·K. Composites with higher Al₂O₃ content show improved thermal conductivity, whereas an increased proportion of seaweed filler tends to reduce it.