Mohd Hazim Mohamad Amini

Adsorption Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Studies of Copper (II) Ions from Aqueous Solutions by Oil Palm Leaves

Oil palm leaf powders (OPLP), an agricultural waste material, were used as new non-conventional and low-cost adsorbents for the removal of copper (II) ions from aqueous solution. Batch studies were performed to evaluate and optimize the effects of various parameters such as contact time, pH of the solution, initial metal ion concentrations and adsorbent dosage. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms were used to analyze the equilibrium data at different temperatures. The experimental data fit well with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, indicating thereby the mono layer adsorption of the copper (II) ions. The monolayer sorption capacity of OPLP for copper (II) ions was found to be 11.22 mg/g at 30 °C. The thermodynamic parameters like standard free energy, standard enthalpy, and standard entropy changes for the adsorption of copper (II) ions have also been computed and discussed. The heat of adsorption [?H° = -39.84 kJ/mol] implied that the adsorption was exothermic in nature.

Simulation of nano carbon tube (NCT) in thermal interface material for electronic packaging application by using CFD software

This paper presents the nanocarbon tube in thermal interface material for electronic packaging application by using three dimensional numerical analysis of heat and fluid flow in computer. 3D model of electronic packaging is built using GAMBIT and simulated using FLUENT software. The study was made for a microprocessors arranged in line under different types of inlet velocities and package (chip) powers. The results are presented in terms of average junction temperature when chip powers have been increased from 2 W to 5 W. The junction temperature is been observed and it was found that the junction temperature of the electronic packaging using nanocarbon was able to wind stand the increasing in chip power from 2 W until 5 W. It also found that the material selection play important roles to control and manage the junction temperature. The strength of CFD software in handling heat transfer problems is proved to be excellent.

Comparison between Thermal Interface Materials Made of Nano Carbon Tube (NCT) with Gad Pad 2500 in Term of Junction Temperature by Using CFD Software, FluentTM

This paper presents the comparison between thermal interface materials made of nano carbon tube (NCT) with Gad Pad 2500 in term of junction temperature by using CFD Software, FluentTM. 3D model of electronic packaging is built using GAMBIT and simulated using FLUENT software. The study was made for a microprocessors arranged in line under different types of inlet velocities and package (chip) powers. The results are presented in terms of average junction temperature when chip powers have been increased from 0.5 W to 2 W. The junction temperature is been observed and it was found that the junction temperature of the electronic packaging using nano carbon has lower junction temperature compare to the Gad Pad 2500. It also found that the NCT was able to reduce the junction temperature up to 20-30% compare to others thermal interface material.

Adsorption of Copper (II) Ions onto Surfactant-Modified Oil Palm Leaf Powder

Il palm leaf powder (OPLP), an agricultural solid waste was used as adsorbent for the removal of copper (II) ions after modification with an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), CH3(CH2)11C6H4SO3Na. The copper (II) ions adsorption is highly dependent on pH and maximum removal was observed at pH 6, above which copper (II) started to precipitate. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted into the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted well to data with 0.989 regression coefficient (R2). The kinetics of the adsorption of copper (II) ions onto the surfactant-modified OPLP was best described by a pseudo-second-order model. Comparison of this SDBS-modified-OPLP to previously investigated adsorbents showed comparably good result, offering this material as a promising adsorbent for the treatment of waste waters containing lower concentrations of copper (II) ions.

Treatment of Oily Waste Using Activated Carbon from Agriculture Waste

Malaysia is one of the main crude oil exporters among countries in Association of South East Asian Nations, ASEAN. Therefore, oil is widely used in many sectors, especially in transportation sectors, and it will produce a lot of oil-based waste that will harm environment. Activated carbon can help to treat this waste by using the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) concept. At the same time, Malaysia is also an agricultural based country which produces a massive amount of agricultural waste. In this study, sugarcane bagasse, corn cob and pineapples core is chosen to produce activated carbon by using furnace heating processing and microwave processing.

Effects of Soil Physical Properties to the Corrosion of Underground Pipelines

Corrosion of metals in soil be able to change from comparatively fast material loss to insignificant effects, depending on soil environment. Corrosion is a process of deterioration of metal surfaces degraded into another compound. Soil is one of the medium known to have constituted to corrosion of metals. The soil creates an environment for the corrosion to react. The buried pipelines are exposed to the soil that may experience corrosion attack. The study of the soil as corrosion environment is important to mitigate the problem due to the environment and economy. There are factors that contribute to the corrosion process. This study concentrates on corrosion properties that expose to soil environment particularly underground pipelines. The mild steel coupons taken from actual pipelines, stimulating and analyzing the physic-chemical characteristics of the soil environment. The soil is sandy clay in natural. A total summed index of 2 numerical scale, thus, indicates that the soil tested was mildly to non-corrosive. The corrosion rate increase with increasing of moisture content and pH value. The observations on the coupon surface also did in order to study the morphology.

The Influence of Curing Conditions on the Compressive Strength of Lightweight Geopolymer Composite Containing Wood Aggregates

In this study, lightweight geopolymer composite was produced using fly ash, metakaolin, and wood aggregate. The changes caused by the geopolymerization on the properties of the final product were investigated by applying curing on geopolymer composites using different types of wood aggregates at different curing temperatures and curing times. The purposes of this process were to determine the relationship between types of wood aggregates, curing temperature, and curing times toward the compressive strength of the lightweight geopolymer composites. Wood particles (WP), wood flour (C100), and wood fiber (WF) were added to fly ash and metakaolin-based geopolymers at 10% solid content as reinforced materials. 14 M NaOH in combination with Na2SiO3 was used as the alkaline activator with a liquid-to-solid ratio of 1.33:2.00. The samples were cured at 20 °C for 7, 14, and 28 days, and at 60 °C for 6 and 24 h (two different curing temperatures and five different curing times) and thereafter kept at room temperature (26–29 °C) until the day of the physical and mechanical test. As a result, this study determined that curing temperature and curing time had an effect on the compressive strength of the composite. It was observed that compressive strength values of the lightweight geopolymer composite cured at 20 and 60 °C increased depending on the curing time. Highest compressive strength values of 38.4 and 36.25 MPa were obtained from the mortar with C100 addition cured at 20 °C for 28 days and 60 °C for 24 h, respectively.

Fungal Resistance of Particleboard Made Using Glutardialdehyde Modified Corn Starch as the Binder with the Aid of Urea Formaldehyde Resin

Particleboard is a popular wood composite made using mixtures of wood particles and resin, binder or adhesives, pressed at high temperature to cured. Despite its popularity, formaldehyde-based adhesives used in the formulations lead to cancerous effect as the formaldehyde fumes released from the unreacted chemicals travel into human lungs. Therefore this study tries to reduce the utilization of formaldehydebased resin by replacement of a significant portion of the binder with glutardialdehyde modified corn starch as the binder. However, this practice could lower the durability of the particleboards against biological attack. Therefore, this study evaluates the fungal resistance of the particleboard panels. Panels were manufactured using 83:15:2 ratio of wood, corn starch-modified with glutardialdehyde and formaldehyde resin, respectively, as an improvement. Four types of wood-degrading fungal were chosen including Trametes versicolor, Formitopsis palustris, Schizophyllum commune and Pycnoporus sangineus. Some of the particleboard showed a little increased in fungal resistance when 2% urea formaldehyde was added, compared to using glutardialdehyde modified corn starch and starch only as the binder. Nine out of twelve samples showed a decrement in fungal degradation by using glutardialdehyde modified starch as the binder. Meanwhile, 6 out of 12 samples showed higher fungal resistance after additional of 2% urea formaldehyde in the binder formulation. Based on the results, combination of modified corn starch and urea formaldehyde resin could have a potential to be used in particleboard making without reducing the initial resistance towards fungal attack.

Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Meranti Wood Flour Filled Polypropylene Composites

Wood plastic composites (WPC) have been produced by compounding meranti wood flour (WF) with polypropylene (PP) copolymer using a twin-screw extruder. The meranti WF content was varied from 30 to 60 wt.%. The mechanical properties, i.e. tensile, flexural and impact of the composites were determined on injection-molded specimens. The tensile fractured surfaces were used to study the morphological properties of the composites. The result shows that the increment in WF content has given a significant improvement in modulus properties but at the expense of strength and toughness properties. A commercial maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) compatibilizer at 5 wt.% was incorporated into the PP40/WF60 formulation. The strength, stiffness and toughness properties were improved significantly in the presence of MAPP. The morphology of the composites was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The improvement of the fibre-matrix adhesion between the WF and PP matrix as revealed by SEM is believed to be one of the major reasons for the improved mechanical properties.

Effect of Urea Formaldehyde Addition to the Dimensional Stability of Particle Board Made Using Glutardialdehyde Modified Corn Starch as Binder with FT-IR Analysis

The objective of the study was to evaluate the dimensional stability of experimental particle board panels made from rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) using modified starch as binder. Panels were manufactured using 15% corn starch modified with glutardialdehyde and 13% modified starch with 2% Urea Formaldehyde resin as improvement. The particle boards were tested for their dimensional stability towards moisture. Results found that the 2% replacement of modified starch with urea formaldehyde resin showed increment in dimensional stability compared to using glutardialdehyde modified corn starch only as the binder, recorded at 39.38 % and 23.47 % for particleboard with 0.80 g/cm3 density after exposed to 75% and 95 % relative humidity. Therefore, this study indicated that combination of modified corn starch and urea formaldehyde resin can have a potential to be used as an improved binder to produce particle board panels with accepted properties.The objective of the study was to evaluate the dimensional stability of experimental particle board panels made from rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) using modified starch as binder. Panels were manufactured using 15% corn starch modified with glutardialdehyde and 13% modified starch with 2% Urea Formaldehyde resin as improvement. The particle boards were tested for their dimensional stability towards moisture. Results found that the 2% replacement of modified starch with urea formaldehyde resin showed increment in dimensional stability compared to using glutardialdehyde modified corn starch only as the binder, recorded at 39.38 % and 23.47 % for particleboard with 0.80 g/cm3 density after exposed to 75% and 95 % relative humidity. Therefore, this study indicated that combination of modified corn starch and urea formaldehyde resin can have a potential to be used as an improved binder to produce particle board panels with accepted properties.