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Significant effects of organoclay and poly(melamine-co-formaldehyde)- methylated (PMFM) impregnation on the mechanical, morphological, and thermal characteristics of raw pulai wood were investigated in this work. The material’s modulus of elasticity (MOE) as well as the maximum compression force (MCF) of the impregnated organoclay/PMFM pulai wood samples were optimized using a designed experiment. The MOE and MCF models had R2 values of 0.9228 and 0.8340, respectively. After the impregnation of organoclay/PMFM pulai wood samples, the MOE and MCF increased considerably, indicating that the pulai wood's mechanical characteristics had improved. The compositional analysis verified the polymerization and dispersion of organoclay and PMFM. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, reduction in the hydroxyl groups was detected. The impregnated organoclay/PMFM pulai wood samples had successfully filled the pores and cell cavities, as seen by scanning electron microscopy. The thermal stability of the impregnated organoclay/PMFM pulai wood samples was better than that of the raw pulai wood, with a higher glass transition temperature as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The thermogravimetric study revealed that the impregnated organoclay/PMFM pulai wood samples had higher decomposition temperatures than the raw pulai wood sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar was synthesized from biomass (jatropha seeds) through a low microwave pyrolysis temperature of 180°C with microwave power of 2kW. A ball milling process reduced the jatropha seed biochar size and converted it in to micro-nanocarbon biofiller. After ball milling, the biochar size was reduced from 1 to 3 mm to the 10 μm to 600 nm range, which is around a 90% reduction in size. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis were used to determine the jatropha seed biofillers properties with respect to the ball milling processes. BET results revealed increasing surface area from 0.10 to 3.67 m²/g, and EDS results revealed the elemental composition of the jatropha seed biofillers. The carbon mass percentage increased from 72.6 to 81.2%. Both results were after ball milling for 30 hours. The FTIR results revealed an increase in transmittance intensity and some reduction in peaks after ball milling. Production of micro-nano carbon fillers from microwave pyrolysis jatropha seeds biochar are applicable as reinforcement fillers for high strength composite material fabrications. Scanning electron microscopy, EDS, FTIR, and BET analysis results indicated size reduction of the biochar with increased carbon content from 72.6 to 81.2% as surface area increased from 0.10 to 3.67 m²/g after 30 hours of ball milling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]