Experimental Investigation for Performance Study of Wire Electrochemical Spark Cutting of Silica Epoxy Nanocomposites

Purpose

Polymer Nanocomposites are advanced engineering composites with enhanced properties. These materials play a central role in various industrial sectors. The growing awareness of the key parameters (which influence the physical properties) with different combination of matrix-reinforcement, are making them more attractive in various applications. Machining of these materials is a challenging task for engineers with their properties (hardness and brittleness) due to various combinations of matrix-reinforcement. Therefore, the aim of present work is to investigate the machining behaviour of Silicon Dioxide (silica) Epoxy Nanocomposite due to straight cutting by using Wire Electrochemical Spark Cutting (WECSC) process.

Method

A specific number of experiments were conducted based on one parameter at-a-time approach to study the effect of influencing input parameters.

Result

The effect of various process parameters namely voltage supply, electrolyte concentration, wire velocity, pulse-on time and silica particle concentration (Cp) such as 3%, 4% and 5% (weight percent) on performance measures such as material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness were demonstrated experimentally.

Conclusion

WECSC has been found effective technique for cutting of Silicon Dioxide Epoxy Nanocomposite. It is reported that MRR increases with decrease in silica particle concentration in Silicon Dioxide Epoxy Nanocomposite.