The physical properties by natural fibre have a great importance, specifically in the structural of natural fibre which reinforces matrix. Response surface methodology with Box-Behnken (BB) design of experiment was utilized to study water absorption and melt flow index (MFI) of abaca fibre reinforced high impact polystyrene (HIPS) composites. The design utilizes fraction of weight abaca fibre, maleic anhydride (MAH), and impact modifier to develop models for characteristic behaviours of water absorption and MFI of composites. Abaca fibre reinforced high impact polystyrene (HIPS) composites were produced with different fibre loadings (30, 40, and 50 wt%), different compositions of coupling agent, maleic anhydried (MAH) (1, 2, and 3 wt%) and different compositions of impact modifier (4, 5, 6 wt%). The individual optimum of water absorption was found when loading abaca fibre close to 34.61 wt%, maleic anhydride 1 wt%, and impact modifier 4.01 wt%. The individual optimum of melt flow index dealt with loading abaca fibre 36.71 wt%, maleic anhydride 3 wt% and impact modifier 4.02 wt%. Meanwhile, the optimum condition for water absorption of abaca fibre reinforced HIPS composites was followed by a decreasing trend of the value of melt flow index.
Bio-composites of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibres and polycaprolactones (PCL) with a thickness of 1 mm were prepared and characterized. The composites produced from these materials are low in density, inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and possess good dielectric characteristics. The magnitudes of the reflection and transmission coefficients of OPEFB fibre-reinforced PCL composites with different percentages of filler were measured using a rectangular waveguide in conjunction with a microwave vector network analyzer (VNA) in the X-band frequency range. In contrast to the effective medium theory, which states that polymer-based composites with a high dielectric constant can be obtained by doping a filler with a high dielectric constant into a host material with a low dielectric constant, this paper demonstrates that the use of a low filler percentage (12.2%OPEFB) and a high matrix percentage (87.8%PCL) provides excellent results for the dielectric constant and loss factor, whereas 63.8% filler material with 36.2% host material results in lower values for both the dielectric constant and loss factor. The open-ended probe technique (OEC), connected with the Agilent vector network analyzer (VNA), is used to determine the dielectric properties of the materials under investigation. The comparative approach indicates that the mean relative error of FEM is smaller than that of NRW in terms of the corresponding S21 magnitude. The present calculation of the matrix/filler percentages endorses the exact amounts of substrate utilized in various physics applications.
This study is carried out to determine the physical properties of green pepper berries and to
improve the existing retting technique in white pepper production using the Viscozyme and
Celluclast as the enzymes. Effects of blanched and non-blanched pepper berries, acidic solution
and non-acidic solution, and different temperature of 28, 35, 42, and 49°C are determined to
obtain the optimum conditions for enzymatic retting. The physical properties of green pepper
berries such as dimension (5.21 mm), weight (0.11 g per berry), true density (1319.33 kg/m3),
bulk density (596.9 kg/m3), sphericity (0.976), angle of repose (6.87°) and flow ability with
funnel flow time of 5.27 seconds were determined. The enzymatic retting in 42oC can fully
soften the pericarp of pepper berries from 15 days to 7 days. The enzymatic decortication has
the efficiency in acidic solution (pH 4) and temperature of 42°C with non-blanched pepper
berries. The enzymatic retting reached constant fracture force (20.98N) at the ninth soaking
days while the non-enzymatic retting reached constant fracture force (21.89N) at the fifteenth
soaking days.
Evaluation of the mechanical behaviour of restoration dental materials is essential to understand their performance under different load conditions and to estimate their durability under clinical oral function. Restorative materials and dental tissues like other materials by having specific mechanical properties, such as static strength (i.e. compressive strength, tensile strength, flexural strength) and dynamic strength (i.e. fatigue strength). The selection of proper mechanical test type depends on the goals that the study claims to define. On such basis, the mechanical test can be chosen correctly. Laboratory studies should be designed as replications of the clinical oral circumstances to measure the mechanical and physical properties of a material and any arbitrary choices in the design of the study may result in large variations of data.
The aim of the present investigation was to formulate thermally sintered floating tablets of propranolol HCl, and to study the effect of sintering conditions on drug release, as well as their in vitro buoyancy properties. A hydrophilic polymer, polyethylene oxide, was selected as a sintered polymer to retard the drug release. The formulations were prepared by a direct compression method and were evaluated by in vitro dissolution studies. The results showed that sintering temperature and time of exposure greatly influenced the buoyancy, as well as the dissolution properties. As the sintering temperature and time of exposure increased, floating lag time was found to be decreased, total floating time was increased and drug release was retarded. An optimized sintered formulation (sintering temperature 50 degrees C and time of exposure 4 h) was selected, based on their drug retarding properties. The optimized formulation was characterized with FTIR and DSC studies and no interaction was found between the drug and the polymer used.
Green coffee beans are stored for a certain period and under certain conditions until they are finally utilized. The storage period may depend on customer demand while the storage conditions depend on where the coffee beans are stored. Thus, this research emphasizes the physicochemical changes that occur in Liberica coffee beans during storage under the Malaysian
climate (average temperature and relative humidity of 29.33ºC and 71.75% respectively). The changes in the physico-chemical (coffee size, mass, densities, colour, proximate analysis, sucrose, chlorogenic acid content) and microbiological (yeast and mould count) properties were evaluated during eight months of storage. After the storage, the physical properties of the coffee changed as the coffee beans expanded in size, reduced in mass and density and became brighter in colour. Changes in the chemical properties were also detected where the moisture decreased and the ash content increased. In addition, the sucrose level was found to decrease with a corresponding increase in chlorogenic acid. During storage, the counts of yeast and mould were reduced. Model equations describing the changes in the properties were developed. The overall conclusion was that the coffee beans reduced in quality during storage.
The search for a high temperature lead-free solder replacement for high temperature leaded solder eutectic alloy has been an evolving process as the threat of a regional lead ban became a reality in July 2006. The advantages and disadvantages of lead-free solder in terms of manufacturing, performance and reliability have been increasingly revealed through companies’ Research and Development (R&D), industrial consortia and university researchers. Materials and component design are the primary criteria to focus on the development for the current generation of high temperature lead-free solder alloys. According to the current status of high temperature lead free soldering, there are many unsolved technical problems such as explanation on the lift-off phenomenon, establishment of high temperature lead-free plating technology, construction of a database of physical properties (solder, parts, PCBs), standardization of high temperature solder materials evaluation technology, and most importantly, the best candidate material for high temperature solder. Clearly, high temperature soldering is one of the unsolved problems of the century in lead-free soldering. Moreover, most of the questions still remain unanswered by researchers. This paper reviews research conducted on the Bi-Ag solder alloy, which is one of the candidate alloys that has been proposed as an alternative for high temperature lead-free solder.
A study of wear behaviour on anodised PM aluminium matrix composites (AMC) reinforced with Saffil™ alumina short fibres was done. AMC was fabricated by powder metallurgy methods (PM) with using Al flake powders and Saffil™ alumina short fibres. AMC reinforced with 15 wt % Saffil¥ alumina short fibre was selected because it showed optimum mechanical and physical properties. Sulphuric acid anodising process was performed and the objective is to obtain suitable parameters of sulphuric acid concentration, anodising voltage and anodising time on MMC. The study of anodising process was carried out with various sulphuric acid concentrations (from 0 to 20 % volume), anodising voltage (10 V to 20 V) and anodising time (from 0 to 60 minutes) at room temperature. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to investigate coating morphology and thickness. From the research, anodising voltage of 18 V and 15 % vol H2SO4 in anodising time of 60 minutes were suitable parameters for sulphuric acid anodising of this AMC. SEM showed the coating thickness around 20 Pm. From the reserch, it was found that H2SO4 anodising was able to give good coating to MMC.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of barrel temperature and flour types on the residence time and physical properties of various flour extrudates. Corn flour, rice flour, corn flour with potato starch (30% w/w, d.b), and rice flour with potato starch (30%w/w, d.b) were extruded at screw speed of 75rpm, feed moisture at 25% (w/w, w.b.), barrel temperature ranging from 80°C to 140°C and die size of 1.88mm. The extrudates were dried at 50°C overnight and further analysed. Results showed that an increase in extruder barrel temperature decreased the residence time of the flours in the extruder (from 4.11-11.32min to 2.24-6.76min), but increased the expansion ratio, rehydration ratio, water absorption index, water solubility index and b value of the extrudate (p≤0.05). The extrudates had the mean residence time and physical properties of rice flour
The focus of this study is to investigate the effect of Al2O3 on α-calcium silicate (α-CaSiO3) ceramic. α-CaSiO3 was synthesized from CaO and SiO2 using mechanochemical method followed by calcinations at 1000°C. α-CaSiO3 and alumina were grinded using ball mill to create mixtures, containing 0-50w% of Al2O3 loadings. The powders were uniaxially pressed and followed by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) in order to achieve greater uniformity of compaction and to increase the shape capability. Afterward, the compaction was sintered in a resistive element furnace at both 1150°C and 1250°C with a 5h holding time. It was found that alumina reacted with α-CaSiO3 and formed alumina-rich calcium aluminates after sintering. An addition of 15wt% of Al2O3 powder at 1250°C were found to improve the hardness and fracture toughness of the calcium silicate. It was also observed that the average grain sizes of α-CaSiO3 /Al2O3 composite were maintained 500-700nm after sintering process.
This study aimed to investigate the structural, physical and mechanical behavior of composites and functionally graded materials (FGMs) made of stainless steel (SS-316L)/hydroxyapatite (HA) and SS-316L/calcium silicate (CS) employing powder metallurgical solid state sintering. The structural analysis using X-ray diffraction showed that the sintering at high temperature led to the reaction between compounds of the SS-316L and HA, while SS-316L and CS remained intact during the sintering process in composites of SS-316L/CS. A dimensional expansion was found in the composites made of 40 and 50 wt% HA. The minimum shrinkage was emerged in 50 wt% CS composite, while the maximum shrinkage was revealed in samples with pure SS-316L, HA and CS. Compressive mechanical properties of SS-316L/HA decreased sharply with increasing of HA content up to 20 wt% and gradually with CS content up to 50 wt% for SS-316L/CS composites. The mechanical properties of the FGM of SS-316L/HA dropped with increase in temperature, while it was improved for the FGM of SS-316L/CS with temperature enhancement. It has been found that the FGMs emerged a better compressive mechanical properties compared to both the composite systems. Therefore, the SS-316L/CS composites and their FGMs have superior compressive mechanical properties to the SS-316L/HA composites and their FGMs and also the newly developed FGMs of SS-316L/CS with improved mechanical and enhanced gradation in physical and structural properties can potentially be utilized in the components with load-bearing application.
A molecular docking tool of AutoDock3.05 was evaluated for its ability to reproduce experimentally determined affinities of various sialic acid analogues toward hemagglutinin of influenza A virus. With the exception of those with a C6-modified glycerol side chain, the experimental binding affinities of most sialic acid analogues (C2, C4 and C5-substituted) determined by viral hemadsorption inhibition assay, hemagglutination inhibition assay and nuclear magnetic resonance correlated well with the computationally estimated free energy of binding. Sialic acid analogues with modified glycerol side chains showed only poor correlation between the experimentally determined hemagglutinin inhibitor affinities and AutoDock3.05 scores, suggesting high mobility of the glutamic acid side chain at the glycerol binding pocket, which is difficult to simulate using a flexi-rigid molecular docking approach. In conclusion, except for some glycerol-substituted sialic acid analogues, the results showed the effectiveness of AutoDock3.05 searching and scoring functions in estimating affinities of sialic acid analogues toward influenza A hemagglutinin, making it a reliable tool for screening a database of virtually designed sialic acid analogues for hemagglutinin inhibitors.
The effect of cultivation condition of two locally isolated ascomycetes strains namely Trichoderma asperellum UPM1 and Aspergillus fumigatus UPM2 were compared in submerged and solid state fermentation. Physical evaluation on water absorption index, solubility index and chemical properties of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose content as well as the cellulose structure on crystallinity and amorphous region of treated oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) (resulted in partial removal of lignin), sago pith residues (SPR) and oil palm decanter cake towards cellulases production were determined. Submerged fermentation shows significant cellulases production for both strains in all types of substrates. Crystallinity of cellulose and its chemical composition mainly holocellulose components was found to significantly affect the total cellulase synthesis in submerged fermentation as the higher crystallinity index, and holocellulose composition will increase cellulase production. Treated OPEFB apparently induced the total cellulases from T. asperellum UPM1 and A. fumigatus UPM2 with 0.66 U/mg FPase, 53.79 U/mg CMCase, 0.92 U/mg β-glucosidase and 0.67 U/mg FPase, 47.56 U/mg and 0.14 U/mg β-glucosidase, respectively. Physical properties of water absorption and solubility for OPEFB and SPR also had shown significant correlation on the cellulases production.