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Maleated soybean oil (MSO), was used as production of eco-friendly thermoset resins. Sample of Epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO) was initially reacted with maleic anhydride, hydroquinone and ethanol in a reaction vessel at 70°C for 150 minutes by using mechanical stirrer at 300 rpm. The esterification process of maleated soybean oil (MSO) was observed by Oxirane Oxygen Content (OOC) and Acid Value (AV) determination via wet titration. The mixture of MSO, propylene glycol (PG) as a curing agent and 3-triethoxysylilpropilamine (TP) as a catalyst were stirred in a beaker at 60°C for 15 minutes to produce thermoset films. Three formulation ratios of PG to TP were used (30PG:70TP, 50PG:50TP, 70PG:30TP). The viscosity test, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) test, pencil hardness and gel content test was used to evaluate the performance of the films. FTIR results for MSO were confirmed by the existence of 3321.6 cm−1 represents the OH functional group, while the peak at 1757 cm−1 is an ester C=O functional group indicates the successful of esterification process. The wavenumber at 3458.11 cm-1, 3452.60 cm-1 and 3457.98 cm-1 corresponded to the hydroxyl group that exist in the structure of MSO films. MSO produced 3% VOC content indicates that it is safe to use as bio-based coating as it emits low emission of VOC. The sample with the best films properties is 70PG:30TP which lead to get H hardness and has 90% gel content. This could be representative for the maximum crosslinking degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the cellulose has been successfully extracted from different type of wastes such as paper waste (empty tissue roll (ETR) & egg tray (ET) and fruit waste (jack fruit rind (JR)). From the extracted cellulose, the cellulose had been modified to Cellulose Acetate (CA). Modification of cellulose to CA involved acetylation process that used sulphuric acid (H2SO4) as catalyst. FTIR results showed that some of the peak disappeared after extraction process at certain wavelength (1700 – 1600 cm−1, ∼1500 cm−1). The intensity of few peaks at 3500 – 3000 cm-1 and 3000 – 2800 cm-1 also decreased after extraction process. All samples (ETR, ET and JR) for CA24 exhibit lowest intensity compared to other contact time. This might be due to the increasing of acetyl group in cellulose backbone and hydrophobicity of the film. This is due to the removal of certain compounds such as lignin and hemicellulose in all raw sample. The effect of contact time (1 to 24 hours) to the acetyl content and degree of substitution (DS) had been studied. It found that, for all wastes exhibited high acetyl content and high of degree of substitution when the contact was 24 hours. In mechanical properties, all CA24 film exhibit slightly higher tensile strain compare to cellulose film for both samples (ET, ETR and JR). Young's Modulus and tensile stress for CA24 film is also higher compare to cellulose film. This is due to the elimination of OH- groups which reduce the water sensitivity of cellulose and due to the internal plasticization of CH3CO- groups. Moreover, acetylation process increase the mechanical properties of the film produced. It can also be seen that Young's modulus increase with increase in CA contact time. This is expected, as addition of CA give a dense structure to film resulting in higher modulus values than porous structure. CA-24 film has the lowest moisture uptake. This is because CA-24 has lower OH- group presence in it. Therefore, ca-24 film shows better hydrophobicity. CA-24 film has lowest solubility most likely due to the replacement of OH- groups to CH3CO- groups. The replacement of OH- groups in cellulose with CH3CO- groups reduced its solubility in water but enhance its solubility in organic solvents. DSC results revealed that the CA24 for all samples (ETRP, ETR and JR) exhibit low Tg. This is due to the fact that, the increasing of contact of time, will increase the number of acetyl group. Hence, when the number of acetyl group increased, the hydrophobicity of the film also increased. Therefore, the ability of CA to form hydrogen bonding with water molecules also decrease. Hence, the segmental molecular ability increase due to the decreasing of hydrogen bonding in CA film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pineapple has been known for a number of beneficial biological activities such as anti-oxidative and antibrowning. Some of these bioactivities are contributed by enzymatic complex in pineapple and it can be found mainly in the skin extracted pineapple juice. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the pineapple juice as a pulping and bleaching agent in the process of papermaking. During pulping of pineapple leaf fibre, the mixture of pineapple juice/water was added together with a constant amount of 3% Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) at various concentration of pineapple juice (0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%). Pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) was soaked several times with pineapple juice and NaOH during pulping and bleaching process in order to get the optimum results of the paper sheet obtained. The mechanical and physical properties of paper sheet were studied by measuring its tensile strength, tear resistance and water absorption. Comparatively, paper sheet produced from NaOH pulping shows better mechanical and physical properties than the mixture pulping of NaOH and pineapple juice. Additionally, pulping with higher concentration of pineapple juice tends to give long fibre rather than short fibre. Overall, the results of this study can be used as an alternative way in the production of paper and it also opens a door to utilize wisely the waste residue of pineapple in other sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acrylic acid, polyacrylamide and poly(methyl acrylate)) and waste polystyrene foam via chain growth polymerization technique in the presence of Potassium Persulphate as redox initiator, N,N'-Methylenebisacrylamide as crosslinker and Sorbitane Monooleate (Span 80) as nonionic surfactant were utilized. In this project, hydrogels based on acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AAm) and methyl acrylate (MA) were grafted with waste polystyrene foam (WPSF). The effect of monomer types and ratios of absorption and swelling equilibrium in distilled water was investigated. This is followed by an analysis of hydrogels absorption in saline water and urea solution as well as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) characterization. In swelling studies, hydrogel based on WPSF-graft-acrylic acid showed an ultimate absorption at 6:1 mass ratio of acrylic acid to waste polystyrene foam. Meanwhile, hydrogel based on WPSF- graft-acrylamide and WPSF-graft-methyl acrylate, both showed continuous increased in water uptake with increasing monomer content. Upon characterization with FTIR, a significant hydrophilic functional groups exist in the spectrum that corresponds to the acrylate monomer, WPSF and crosslinker unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]