Research Articles in Mechanical Engineering

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.nileuniversity.edu.ng/handle/123456789/130

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Author: search.filters.author.Makanjuola OkiSubject: search.filters.subject.Microstructure

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    Influence of temperature on the chemical compositions and microstructural changes of ash formed from palm kernel shell
    (Elsevier, 2020-09-30) Peter Pelumi Ikubanni; Makanjuola Oki; Adekunle Akanni Adeleke; Adediran, A.A; O.S. Adesina
    This study investigated the characteristics of raw palm kernel shell (raw PKS) and the influence of temperature variation on palm kernel shell ash (PKSA). The PKSA was obtained under different temperature regimes of 900, 1000, and 1100°C. The characterization of the samples was carried out using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with attached Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) facilities. The results showed that moisture and ash contents and the density of raw PKS were 6.56%, 8.86%, and 745 ​kg/m3, respectively. The colour of the pulverized PKS was dark brown, as observed by visual examination based on standard colour gradation. This colour transformed into various shades of brown when PKS was subjected to different temperature regimes to form PKSA. The XRF analysis showed that silica is the main constituent of the raw PKS and PKSA samples. Silica content in the PKSA increased with the rise in the heating temperature. The FTIR and EDX spectra confirmed the predominance of silicon compounds with functional groups associated with silanol and siloxane. Also, XRD analysis revealed that the silica contents in the samples are quartz, while SEM examinations indicated that temperature increases during processing influenced the microstructure through the reduction of pore concentration in the samples. The silica obtained from the PKSA would find applications in metal matrix composites as partial reinforcing materials.
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    Optimization of the tribological properties of hybrid reinforced aluminium matrix composites using Taguchi and Grey’s relational analysis
    (Elsevier, 2021-07-05) Peter Pelumi Ikubanni; Makanjuola Oki; Adekunle Akanni Adeleke; O.O. Agboola
    The tribological properties of synthesized hybrid reinforced aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) have been optimized in this study using Taguchi and grey relational analysis (GRA), methods where a L16 orthogonal array was used for the experimental design. Hybrid palm kernel shell ash (0–6 wt.%) and SiC (2 wt.%) formed the reinforcements of interest, which were combined in ratios ranging between 2 and 8 wt.%. Different loads (250, 500, 750, and 10 0 0 g) and speeds (250, 500, 750, and 10 0 0 rpm) were used as control factors. The wear samples were produced using the double-stir casting method, while a Taber type abrasion machine was used for the wear experiments. The evaluated wear index and volume loss showed that the speed and load were better influential factors on the performance characteristics of the composites than wt.% of reinforcements. The Taguchi-Grey’s relational analysis gave the optimal combination of the process parameters for both the wear index and the volume loss as A3 B1 C1 (Reinforcement = 6 wt.%; Load = 250 g; Speed = 250 rpm) and A1 B1 C1 (Reinforcement = 2 wt.%; Load = 250 g; Speed = 250 rpm), respectively. The predicted and experimental values at the optimum conditions were confirmed to be within the range based on the performance of the confirmation test. The utilization of Taguchi and GRA methods have significantly confirmed that the influence of speed as a factor of performance was higher than load, which in turn was a better influencing factor than wt.% of reinforcements