Sharmiza Adnan

Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline cellulose from Acacia mangium and its reinforcement potential

Acacia mangium, a fast growing tree is widely planted in Malaysia. Converting Acacia wood into nanocellulose could create new value added products for forest-based industry. Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was prepared from Acacia mangium wood pulp via 64wt% sulfuric acid hydrolysis. Prior to acid hydrolysis, Acacia mangium was subjected to pulping followed by bleaching in order to remove non-cellulosic fragments. Acid hydrolysis was carried out on bleached pulp to produce the needle-like NCC with 79% crystallinity and aspect ratio of 26. The resulting NCC was mixed with PVA as a reinforcement material. Incorporation of 2% NCC improved the tensile of the NCC-PVA film by 30%.

Soda Anthraquinone Pulping of Oil Palm Male Flower Spikes

This study was carried out to investigate the characteristics of pulp and paper produced from oil palm oil male flower spikes (OPMFS). The evaluation of the pulping process was studied based on the chemical Soda Anthraquinone pulping process. 60 gsm papersheet of oil palm male flower spikes were prepared from unbeaten and unbleached OPMFS Soda-AQ pulp. All optical, physical and mechanical characteristics were investigated according to TAPPI and MS ISO standards. OPMFS pulp recorded value of 6.42 s, 353 ml, 76.5 %, 36.7 % and 9.35 for drainage time, freeness, moisture content, screened yield percentage and Kappa number respectively. OPMFS paper sheet recorded value of 56.99 g/m2, 131.11 µm and 0.43 g/m3 for grammage, bulking thickness and apparent bulk density respectively. Unbleached OPMFS paper also recorded 26.49 % and 43.50 % for brightness and opacity. For mechanical characteristics, OPMFS paper recorded 39.10 N.m/g, 8.32 mN.m2/g, 3.15 kPa.m2/g and 38.50 for tensile index, tear index, burst index and folding endurance (no.) respectively. This research demonstrate some potential characteristics of oil palm male flower spikes (OPMFS) paper to be investigated as a newly explored non-wood based raw material for papermaking.

Effect of beating process to soda anthraquinone pulp of oil palm male flower spikes fibre

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of beating process to the characteristics of pulp and paper produced from oil palm oil male flower spikes (OPMFS). OPMFS pulp was prepared according to chemical Soda-AQ pulping process. 60 gsm handsheet of oil palm male flower spikes paper were prepared from OPMFS pulp with four different beating times which are 0 revolution, 1000 revolutions, 2000 revolutions and 3000 revolutions. All physical and mechanical characteristics were investigated according to TAPPI and MS ISO standards. The results show that overall physical and mechanical characteristics of POMFS paper were influenced and enhanced by beating process between 0 until 3000 revolutions. This research demonstrate some potential characteristics of palm oil male flower spikes (OPMFS) paper to be investigated as a newly explored non-wood based raw material for papermaking raw material for papermaking.

The Novel Usage of Nitrocellulose as a Propellant of 5.56 mm Bullet

Gun powder is predicted to be more expensive in relation to the world oil shortage crisis in the future. However, cellulose (generic chemical formula (C6H10O5) is the carbohydrate that makes up the main structure of plants. It is more economical especially for countries with a lot of natural resources and rain forests like Malaysia. The finding of the study reveals the capability of nitrocellulose as gunpowder. In this research, a comparison of the same mass of nitrocellulose and gunpowder is made to find out which propellant produce longer distance and greater impact. The main objectives of this study are to find out the performance and capability of nitrocellulose extracted from Rhizophora apiculata compared to gunpowder in terms of velocity, calorific value of bullets and kinetic energy produced. The result shows that the nitrocellulose has better performance than gun powder. The new application of smokeless gun powder ensures troops especially snipers hardly being detected by enemy and at the same time improves safety and security level.

DURIAN RIND SODA-ANTHRAQUINONE PULP AND PAPER: EFFECTS OF ELEMENTAL CHLORINE-FREE BLEACHING AND BEATING

A study was conducted to investigate the preliminary characteristics of soda-anthraquinone (soda-AQ) durian rind waste pulp and paper with the effects of elemental chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching and beating revolutions. Pulping was carried out using rotary digester with 0.1% antraquinone, 20% active alkali (NaOH), cooking time of 120 min and temperature of 170 °C. ECF bleaching with chlorine dioxide – alkali extraction – chlorine dioxide – alkali extraction – peroxide sequence and beating in the range of 0 to 1000 revolutions were applied to the unbeaten and unbleached pulp. ECF bleached pulp produced soda-AQ durian rind paper with greater tensile index, burst index, tear index, number of folds, brightness and scattering coefficients, but with slightly lower opacity compared with paper made from unbleached pulp. The results also showed that beating revolutions improved the overall physical and mechanical characteristics of durian rind soda-AQ pulp. Bleaching and beating enhanced the durian rind soda-AQ pulp fiber-to-fiber bonding and strength. Durian rind has potential characteristics as promising new material for papermaking.

Studies on Physical and Mechanical Properties by Soda-AQ Pulping of Napier Grass

Pulp and paper production from wood material as their main resources have a total capacity about more than one million tons per year. Malaysia has a high scale of deforestation based on the main resource for pulp and paper-based industry. Malaysia as its rate is accelerating faster than any other tropical countries in the world. This problem also affects the economic losses of some countries that face deforestation. To overcome this, Napier grass as a substitute material from non-wood material had been choose for pulp and papermaking industry. This study through the full fibre analysis and morphological characterization, pulpability at kappa number via soda-AQ pulping and the characteristic. These conclude that Napier grass had a high percentage of pulp yields; with a low screening rejects; good mechanical properties by TAPPI method. Thus, Napier grass has a potential to be substitute material for becoming waste-wealth product especially for Malaysia’s pulp and papermaking industry.

Effects of Soda-Anthraquinone Pulping Variables on the Durian Rind Pulp and Paper Characteristics: A Preliminary Test

Good combination of pulping variables is required to obtain the quality pulp and paper characteristics. Thus, in this preliminary work, naturally dried durian rind were pulped under Soda-Anthraquinone (Soda-AQ) pulping process with 18% to 22% alkali charge, 0% to 0.1% Anthraquinone (AQ) charge, 90 minutes to 150 minutes of cooking time and 150°C to 170°C to investigate the effect of pulping variables on the characteristics of the pulp and paper. Pulping condition with 0% of AQ charge was also conducted for comparison. Results indicated that the best screen yield percentage, reject yield percentage, freeness, drainage time, tear index, number of folds and optical properties were shown by the pulp produced with combination of the highest active alkali (22%), AQ charge (0.1%), cooking time (150 minutes) and cooking temperature (170°C) except apparent density, tensile index and burst index. This preliminary result shows that the optimum quality of durian rind pulp as a potential papermaking raw material pulp could be produced by selecting the good combination of pulping variables which influences the pulp and paper characteristics.

Soda-Anthraquinone Durian (Durio Zibethinus Murr.) Rind Linerboard and Corrugated Medium Paper: A Preliminary Test

A preliminary test was conducted to investigate the characteristics of linerboard and corrugated medium paper made from durian rind waste. Naturally dried durian rinds were pulped according to Soda-Anthraquinone (Soda-AQ) pulping process with a condition of 20% active alkali, 0.1% AQ, 7:1 liquor to material ratio, 120 minutes cooking time and 170°C cooking temperature. The linerboard and corrugated medium paper with a basis weight of 120 gsm were prepared and evaluated according to Malaysian International Organization for Standardization (MS ISO) and Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI). The results indicate that the characteristics of durian rind linerboard are comparable with other wood or non-wood based paper and current commercial paper. However, low CMT value for corrugated medium and water absorptiveness quality for linerboard could be improved in future. Based on the bulk density (0.672 g/cm3), burst index (3.12 kPa.m2/g) and RCT (2.00 N.m2/g), the durian rind has shown a good potential and suitable as an alternative raw material source for linerboard industry.

Preliminary Investigation on Improving Biopolymer Properties Using Nanocellulose from Tropical Forest Species

Nanotechnology currently receives considerable attention as a technology for the future. Nanocellulose, in particular, has been reported as a renewable source for industrial applications. As an emerging sustainable and advanced technology, nanocellulose extraction process and applications are being studied extensively. Nanocellulose in the form of nanocrystalline (NCC) or nanofibrillated (NFC) has many applications, mainly in enhancing the mechanical strength of composite materials, or as precursors for supercapacitors, aerogel, hydrogel and membrane fabrication. In this study, microbial hydrolysis combined with mechanical treatment was used as an alternative method to produce nanocellulose. Commercial cellulase enzyme from Trichoderma reesei (ATCC 26921) was used to hydrolyse bleached soda cellulose from Macaranga, a tropical forest species. The enzymatic hydrolysis was followed by homogenization and sonication. The resulting nanocellulose was incorporated into two polymers, namely chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at 3 and 10% concentrations. Surface morphology of the films was investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and it was found that NCC disperses better into PVA matrix compared to chitosan matrix. However, at the low levels of nanocellulose added, no significant thermal property improvement was observed.