Fabrication, Testing, and Optimization of MWCNT Epoxy Polymer Nanocomposites Through Taguchi, TOPSIS, and Response Surface Techniques

The mechanical optimization of nanocomposites, which involves different nanofillers and varying nanofiller volume fractions, represents a classic, multi-criteria decision challenge. In practical scenarios, the values of attributes and their corresponding weights frequently exhibit uncertainty, leading to certain constraints. This study presents a novel hybrid decision-making approach that integrates Taguchi, Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to identify the nanocomposite with optimal mechanical properties. This study explores the enhanced mechanical properties of nanocomposites reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and epoxy-E-fiberglass. The parameters assessed consist of tensile strength, tensile modulus, tensile strain at break, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and flexural strain at break. The input variables used to improve the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite samples include MWCNT (vol%) nanofiller, e-glass fiber, and epoxy polymer. The Taguchi method was applied to design an experiment that studied the interaction of the process on the response variables of the samples. The TOPSIS technique and response surface methodology (RSM) analyses were employed for the simultaneous optimization and ranking of multiple responses. After determining the optimal settings for the control factors, confirmation experiments were conducted to validate the results. The TOPSIS analysis ranked the experiments, with experiment code A22 identified as having the most significant effect, followed by A88, A11, and A55, in that order. Taguchi and RSM indicated that experiment code A44 achieved optimal mechanical properties. Therefore, the results demonstrate that the mechanical properties of MWCNT nanocomposites have been optimized.