PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC FRICTION COMPOSITE MATERIALS BASED ON CARBON NANOTUBES-ORGANIC-INORGANIC FIBROUS REINFORCEMENT USING HYBRID AHP-FTOPSIS APPROACH

In the present investigation, hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Technique for Order Preferences by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) statistical approach are used for analytical analysis of the braking performance of prepared hybrid organic friction (carbon nanotubes-organic-inorganic fibrous reinforcement) brake pad composite materials. Ranking of such multiphase composites based on evaluated performance are really cumbersome as it involves several Performance Defining Attributes (PDAs). This makes a case of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem with conflicting criteria. The experimental data for the analysis is obtained from a Krauss friction testing machine following (Pulse Velocity Wave) PVW-3212 standard test procedure in conformity with to European Commission for Energy Reguation-90 (ECE R-90) regulation/protocol. Sensitivity of investigated PDAs in relation to composition of the composites is also studied in length. Comprehensively, the priority order of PDAs as evaluated by AHP is: mu-performance (0.256) similar to wear (0.256) > % mu-fade (0.150) > % mu-recovery (0.120) > stability coefficient (a) (0.075) > variability coefficient (gamma) (0.063) > frictional fluctuations (Delta mu) (0.037) > DTR (0.037). The FTOPSIS analysis summaries in the order of alternatives could be obtained as NT-8 > NT-4 > NT-7 > NT-1 > NT-6 > NT-5 > NT-3 > NT-2. This comprehensively implied that as the proportion of graphite/aramid fiber increases with complementary de crease in MWCNT/lapinus fiber the performance ranking of the material deteriorates.