Optimizing the impact toughness of stir-casted bamboo leaf stem ash reinforced aluminum matrix composite using Taguchi method

The automotive industry's increasing emphasis on lightweight and energy-absorbing structures, particularly for crashworthiness components such as vehicle bumpers and body frames, has driven interest in aluminum matrix composites due to their superior mechanical properties. This research explores the enhancement of impact toughness in Al6061 reinforced with Bamboo Leaf Stem Ash (BLSA) fabricated via stir casting. Key casting parameters stirring speed, time, blade count, and BLSA weight fraction were optimized using a Taguchi L27 orthogonal array approach. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to assess parameter influence. Optimal impact energy absorption was achieved at 500 rpm, 5 min, three blades, and 5.0 % BLSA. ANOVA results identified stirring speed as the most dominant factor (54.67 %), followed by blade count (31.24 %), reinforcement fraction (7.42 %), and stirring time (2.72 %). Regression modeling indicated a positive correlation between impact toughness and increasing speed, blade count, and BLSA percentage up to the optimal levels. Beyond these points, negative correlations emerged. A confirmation test demonstrated close agreement between experimental and predicted values, with a 5.472 % margin of error. This study introduces a green, cost-effective reinforcement and emphasizes process parameter optimization for achieving improved energy absorption performance, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of metal matrix composites for structural energy-dissipating applications.