Integrated Taguchi-simulated annealing (SA) approach for analyzing wear behaviour of silicon nitride

In this study, the integrated Taguchi-simulated annealing (SA) approach is applied to examine the wear behaviour of silicon nitride (Si3N4)-hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Wear tests for Si3N4-hBN composite versus steel (ASTM 316L) disc were carried out for a dry sliding conditions in a so-called pin-on-disc arrangement. The tests were realized at % volume of hBN 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 in Si3N4 under the loads of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 N. The wear rate (WR) was analyzed using Taguchi -signal to noise ratio approach with the aim of finding optimal combination of load and % volume of hBN in Si3N4. By applying the analysis of variance, it was also found that the greatest impact on wear rate has interaction of load and % volume of hBN with percentage effect of 51.89%, then % volume of hBN with 35.04% and load with 13.06%. The experimental results are further utelized to develop the second-order, linear mathematical model. Further, this model is processed with simulated annealing (SA) to find the optimal combination of load and % volume of hBN to minimize wear rate. Combined Taguchi-SA approach was successfully used to predict the optimal combination of load and % volume of hBN in Si3N4 to minimize wear rate of Si3N4. The dominant wear mechanism is adhesive wear as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS).