Based on the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Signal-to-Noise (S/N) ratio analysis, the reinforcement ratio emerged as the most statistically significant factor affecting the tensile strength of the cow bone and cassava cortex hybrid composite.

🔹 ANOVA Findings:

• Reinforcement composition contributed 98.22% to the total variation in tensile strength.
• NaOH chemical treatment contributed 1.06%.
• Particle size contributed only 0.81%.

The p-values from ANOVA analysis further support this:

• Reinforcement (p = 0.000): Highly significant.
• Treatment (p = 0.021): Statistically significant.
• Particle size (p = 0.621): Not statistically significant.

🔹 S/N Ratio Analysis:

• The delta value (difference between the highest and lowest S/N ratio) was used to rank the influence of each factor: Reinforcement: 1.93 (Rank 1) Treatment: 0.18 (Rank 2) Particle size: 0.05 (Rank 3)

These statistical analyses indicate that reinforcement composition (i.e., the ratio of cow bone to cassava cortex) has the strongest effect on the tensile strength of the composite. This is because the mechanical performance of composites is greatly influenced by the nature, proportion, and interaction of the reinforcing agents with the matrix.

On the other hand, NaOH treatment moderately influences tensile strength by enhancing fiber–matrix adhesion through surface modification. Particle size, although it affects the dispersion and surface area of the reinforcement, showed minimal impact within the tested range.

✅ Conclusion:

To improve tensile strength effectively, reinforcement ratio should be the primary focus, followed by optimized chemical treatment. Particle size plays a secondary role in this context.

Among the factors of reinforcement ratio, chemical treatment, and particle size, the reinforcement ratio is generally the most statistically significant in influencing the tensile strength of composites. This is because the reinforcement material, whether in the form of fibers or particles, is primarily responsible for bearing the tensile load within the composite. Increasing the reinforcement ratio typically enhances tensile strength by providing more load-bearing material within the matrix, up to an optimal limit where issues like agglomeration or poor dispersion may arise.

Chemical treatment plays a supportive yet important role by improving the interfacial adhesion between the matrix and the reinforcement. Enhanced bonding ensures better stress transfer from the matrix to the reinforcement, but without sufficient reinforcement content, even effective treatments cannot maximize strength. Similarly, particle size affects the surface area and bonding potential; finer particles can improve strength, but they may also lead to aggregation, reducing their effectiveness.

Statistical analyses, such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), often confirm that reinforcement ratio exhibits the highest significance in determining tensile strength, followed by chemical treatment, with particle size being the least significant among the three. However, the combined effect of all three factors is crucial for optimizing composite properties.