Zamri Zainal Abidin

Wideband Printed MIMO/Diversity Monopole Antenna for WiFi/WiMAX Applications

A novel printed diversity monopole antenna is presented for WiFi/WiMAX applications. The antenna comprises two crescent shaped radiators placed symmetrically with respect to a defected ground plane and a neutralization lines is connected between them to achieve good impedance matching and low mutual coupling. Theoretical and experimental characteristics are illustrated for this antenna, which achieves an impedance bandwidth of 54.5% (over 2.4-4.2 GHz), with a reflection coefficient <;-10 dB and mutual coupling <;-17 dB. An acceptable agreement is obtained for the computed and measured gain, radiation patterns, envelope correlation coefficient, and channel capacity loss. These characteristics demonstrate that the proposed antenna is an attractive candidate for multiple-input multiple-output portable or mobile devices.

Effect of physical pretreatment on dilute acid hydrolysis of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Effects of different physical pretreatments on water hyacinth for dilute acid hydrolysis process (121 ± 3 °C, 5% H(2)SO(4), 60 min) were comparatively investigated. Untreated sample had produced 24.69 mg sugar/g dry matter. Steaming (121 ± 3 °C) and boiling (100 ± 3 °C) for 30 min had provided 35.9% and 52.4% higher sugar yield than untreated sample, respectively. The highest sugar yield (132.96 mg sugar/g dry matter) in ultrasonication was obtained at 20 min irradiation using 100% power. The highest sugar production (155.13 mg sugar/g dry matter) was obtained from pulverized samples. Hydrolysis time was reduced when using samples pretreated by drying, mechanical comminution and ultrasonication. In most methods, prolonging the pretreatment period was ineffective and led to sugar degradations. Morphology inspection and thermal analysis had provided evidences of structure disruption that led to higher sugar recovery in hydrolysis process.

Electrical Conduction Mechanism in Solid Polymer Electrolytes: New Concepts to Arrhenius Equation

Solid polymer electrolytes based on chitosan NaCF3SO3 have been prepared by the solution cast technique. X-ray diffraction shows that the crystalline phase of the pure chitosan membrane has been partially disrupted. The fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results reveal the complexation between the chitosan polymer and the sodium triflate (NaTf) salt. The dielectric constant and DC conductivity follow the same trend with NaTf salt concentration. The increase in dielectric constant at different temperatures indicates an increase in DC conductivity. The ion conduction mechanism follows the Arrhenius behavior. The dependence of DC conductivity on both temperature and dielectric constant () is also demonstrated.

Indication of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) sources for solar burst monitoring in Malaysia

Apart of monitoring the Sun project, the Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) surveying in the region of (1-1200) MHz has been conducted. The main objective of this surveying is to test and qualify the potential of monitoring a continuous radio emission of Solar in Malaysia. This work is also an initiative of International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) project where Malaysia is one of the country that participate a e-Callisto Spectrometer network in order to study the behavior of Solar radio burst in frequency of (45-800) MHz region which will be install in this October. Detail results will indicate the potential of monitoring a solar in Malaysia.

Designing and Constructing Log Periodic Dipole Antenna to Monitor Solar Radio Burst: e-Callisto Space Weather

A Log Periodic Dipole Antenna (LPDA) for solar burst monitor in the range of (45 -870) MHz applications is presented. In this paper, we make an effort in designing a portable LPDA that suitable with the criteria, specification and practical enough although is the boom length size of the antenna is 5.45 meter. We choose value of 0.14 spacing factor τ= 0.8 as a directivity of antenna. This LPDA is constructed by using two (2) rod aluminums type with nineteenth (19) elements of different sizes. Some of suggestions on improving this design are also presented.

Radio frequency interference affecting type III solar burst observations

The solar burst extinguish from the Sun’s corona atmosphere and it dynamical structure of the magnetic field in radio wavelength are studied. Observation of solar radio burst with Compact Astronomical Low cost Low frequency Instrument for Spectroscopy and Transportable Observatory (CALLISTO) from ETH, Zurich in frequency range of 45 until 870 MHz. Observation done at Pusat Angkasa Negara, Banting, Selangor and successfully detected the solar burst type III on 9th March 2012 from 4:22:00 UT until 4:28:00 UT. The solar burst emission is associated with M6.3 solar flare which occurred at sunspot AR1429 at 03:58UT were observed by NOAA. Frequency ranges chosen as the best ranges for solar monitoring in Malaysia is 150 MHz until 400 MHz. The highest signal amplitude within this frequency ranges is 1.7619 dB at 153.188 MHz (Government Use) have potential to influence the detection of solar radio burst type III within 20 until 400 MHz.

Observations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at low frequency radio region on 15th April 2012

We have carried out a case study on Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) as a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields rising above the solar corona. During 15th April 2012, solar filament eruption was accompanied by intense CMEs. This explosion of CMEs observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory with sunspot AR1458 is crackling with C–class solar flares. Solar flare type B3 and C2 were observed beginning 2241 UT and 0142 UT in the active region AR1458. In the present work, we focus in the range of the low frequency region from 150 MHz to 400 MHz. At preliminary stage, starting from 12.00 UT till 1.00 UT there is a strong signal which indicates a formation of burst. Type II burst originated from solar corona can be observed in the range of 150 MHz to 230 MHz. Instead of type II, a moving type IV and continuum type III burst can be detected at 150 MHz and lasting for 1 hours. This event is considered as second largest CMEs been detected since five (5) years. We can then conclude that currently, the Sun is i...

Dynamical structure of solar radio burst type III as evidence of energy of solar flares

Observations of low frequency solar type III radio bursts associated with the ejection of plasma oscillations localized disturbance is due to excitation atoms in the plasma frequency incoherent radiations play a dominant role at the meter and decimeter wavelengths. Here, we report the results of the dynamical structure of solar flare type III that occurred on 9th March 2012 at National Space Centre, Sg Lang, Selangor, Malaysia by using the CALLISTO system. These bursts are associated with solar flare type M6 which suddenly ejected in the active region AR 1429 starting at 03:32 UT and ending at 05:00 UT with the peak at 04:12 UT. The observation showed an initial strong burst occurred due to strong signal at the beginning of the phase. We also found that both solar burst and flares tend to be a numerous on the same day and probability of chance coincidence is high. It is clearly seen that an impulsive lace burst was detected at 4:24 UT and it is more plausible that the energies are confined to the top of t...

Heat stress in poultry and the beneficial effects of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) supplementation during periods of heat stress

Pakistan is an agro-livestock based economy with a poultry share of 55% of the total agricultural GDP (21%). The environment in Pakistan remains hot and humid during July to August, which renders the survival of poultry critical during these months, as birds are more susceptible to changing environments than other domestic animals. Heat stress is a combination of high environmental temperature and humidity, hindering proper thermoregulatory processes. It diminishes immunity, feed intake, weight gain, egg production, number of chicks per hen, hatchability of fertile eggs, egg and carcass quality, mineral balance, and increases panting and mortality and affects semen quality and fertility in male birds. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a white crystalline compound (also known as L-ascorbic acid) is primarily synthesised in the chicken by the kidneys, however, during heat stress, endogenous ascorbic acid becomes insufficient to meet the birds requirements. Vitamin C ameliorates heat stress induced problems such as poor immunity, feed intake, weight gain, oxidative stress, rectal and body temperature, fertility and semen quality, carcass weight and mortality in birds.

Innovative method to avoid the reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles

In this research work an innovative method is used to prevent the silver ion reduction in solid polymer electrolytes. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) results reveal the disruption of the crystalline nature of chitosan (CS) and formation of silver nanoparticles upon addition of silver triflate (AgTf) salt. The UV-vis measurement confirms the existence of silver nanoparticles via the broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak. Upon the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles the SPR peak intensity is greatly reduced. The amorphous domain of the CS:silver triflate (CS:AgTf) system increases with the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles up to 4 wt.%. Deconvolution of the XRD results reveals that a larger crystallite size is obtained for higher Al2O3 concentrations and the peaks due to silver nanoparticles almost disappear. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses show that Al2O3 nanoparticles are well dispersed at low concentrations and the leakage of chains of silver nanoparticles to the membrane surface almost disappear. The XRD, UV-vis, SEM and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) results strongly support that the reduction of silver ions to silver nanoparticles (Ag + →Ag°) in the CS:silver triflate system is significantly avoided upon the addition of an Al2O3 filler.