HYBRID COMPOSITE FROM X-RAY WASTE
This study considered the tensile and flexural characterization of new lighter and cheaper hybrid composite materials to replace the existing insert panel for the currently available bulletproof vest. The materials chosen included a natural fibre, i.e., kenaf fibre, chemically treated with sodium hydroxide solution, and, as a means of recycling, used x-ray films with a surface treatment. Using the traditional hand lay-up method, the materials were fabricated into seven layers of different configurations, which were then subjected to tensile and flexural tests. The findings showed that one of the configurations that consisted of both treated materials had a tensile strength of 396.9M Pa, which is quite strong, and a flexural modulus of 6.24G Pa, which makes it flexible enough to be made into wearable equipment. This configuration was then chosen to be the base design for the specimen subjected to impact test. The interfacial bond between the two distinct materials proved to be a major issue, even with the help of fibre treatment. Therefore, some improvements need to be made for the material to be comparable to existing materials performance-wise hence making this configuration suitable for ballistic application.
New Approach to Food Packaging: Antimicrobial and Edible Materials
In addition to adequate and balanced nutrition in the protection of human health, the reliability of consumed foods is also of great importance. When foods contact with the environment, they are undergoing many microbiological, physical and chemical changes such as moisture loss, aroma exchange, oxidation and contamination with microorganisms. So this changes reduce quality and shorten the shelf life. During cutting and processing of chicken meat, especially contamination on the surface causes deterioration of the meat starting from the surface and thus short shelf life. Though contamination of chicken meat surface is inevitable, growth of contaminant microorganisms can be inhibited and microorganisms can be killed. In recent years, increased risks of infection due to antibiotic-resistant microorganisms have forced the discovery of new and natural antibacterial materials. It is a new and advantageous approach to avoid environmental pollution caused by the use of food packaging and safety of food, prolongation of product shelf life by natural, edible, antibacterial biomolecules in packaging products. In the scope of the project, in order to produce an edible alginate gel containing the antimicrobial peptide nisin, which has an antibacterial property to prevent microbial growth on the surface of chicken meat, following steps was done; Synthesis of calcium alginate and nisin immobilized calcium alginate beads Optimization of immobilizing nisin in calcium alginate beads, Characterization of nisin immobilized calcium alginate beads by ATR-FTIR Spectrum and SEM Analysis, Determination of the antimicrobial activity of white meat product chicken which is coated by nisin immobilizing calcium alginate gel.
Sustainable G-Polymer From Industrial Waste
This study focuses on the pre-treatment of paper sludge ash (PSA) as a by-product of paper milling industry that contains high amount of calcium, yet low in silica. The presence of high calcium content in geopolymer system will accelerate the setting time of fresh geopolymer and may disrupt the development of its mechanical strength. Therefore, in this study, the refinement of PSA properties was conducted by treating raw PSA in hydrochloric acid solution with different molarities of 0.5 M, 1.0 M and 2.0 M. The pre-treatment process was mainly purposed to decrease the amount of calcium and other impurities through leaching mechanism. Based on the experimental results, 2.0 M hydrochloric acid solution (HCl) was determined as the optimum concentration due to its ability in removing higher amount of calcium from the ash, yet still able to increase the amount of silica. Compression test on the hardened properties of geopolymer specimen also showed the deceleration of fresh fly ash based geopolymer and produced a more workable fresh geopolymer.
The Waves Fish Controller
Our oceans, coasts, and estuaries are home to diverse living things. These organisms take many forms, from the tiniest single-celled plankton to the largest animal on Earth, the blue whale. Understanding the life cycles, habits, habitats, and inter-relationships of marine life contributes to our understanding of the planet as a whole. Human influence and reliance on these species, as well as changing environmental conditions, will determine the future health of these marine inhabitants Humans influence the whole environment even if they don’t notice , the growth of men and our increasing reproduction over the years results to an over consumption of nutritious products , which makes us exploit the wildlife more and more and in the same time take parts of its habitats for us to life in and throwing our non-needed materials in what’s left of the world. And that’s a big problem because the Eco-System was just fine before we started over exploiting it in a greedy and unreasonable manner, and since the ecosystem’s parts are related altogether in an ongoing circle , the absence or the destruction of one part of It may lead to the unbalance and even destruction of the whole organized system. And that’s why as humans, it is our first duty to take care of nature generally and both fauna and flora specifically, not because of a moral code of some kind; but to protect Humanity from ourselves, and to preserve the human kind from destruction and extinction. And that’s the main goal of our project, that’s to help us organize our fishing exploitative activities with how much can the environment handle from it.
LENS WITH VARIABLE OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Research work on creating a lens, the optical power can be changed depending on human needs. Most people have visual impairments that need to be corrected with surgery or optical devices (glasses and contact lenses). The optical characteristics of the human eye vary depending on age, health, intensity of visual load. We propose to give people the opportunity to smoothly adjust the optical power of the spectacle lens by changing the transparent tubes between the two windows of transparent films. Experimental studies have shown the possibility of adjusting the optical power of the proposed line in a wide range. Existing devices and materials for changing the optical power of the line are analyzed. The design of a lens with variable optical characteristics is proposed, which is created from two window films, the space between which is filled with liquid. Publicly available materials for the outer shell of the lens and liquid for its filling. The effect of the amount of liquid to be filled on the optical power of the lens was experimentally determined. The formula for experimental finding of focal length of a lens is entered. Novelty is impossible because you can use the lens in another field. For example, in the future it is planned to perform an experiment with a lens system to create, for example, a telescope.
Biodegradation of Post-Cured Photopolymeric Resin of Stereolithography 3D Printers Using Galleria mellonella Larva.
The present research has as main objective to degrade the post-cured photopolymer of the stereolithography 3D printer resin using Galleria mellonella larvae. It is necessary to consider that the use of materials from 3D printers tends to increase considerably and in approximately seven years about 10% of everything that will be produced in the world will come from this type of printing. Considering also that the increase in population growth and technological development are directly linked to the increase of solid waste on the planet, in particular to polymeric materials, there is a need to degrade and give an adequate end to waste, avoiding a notorious accumulation along the time. For this purpose, Galleria mellonella larvae will be used because of it's comprovated capacity to degrade polyethylene, to find out if it is capable of biodegrading the post-cured resin of the printer. To carry out the research, compositional tests were done in partnership with the SENAI Institute for Innovation in Polymer Engineering, located in São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, and the creation of the larvae and degradation of the photopolymer will be carried out in partnership with the University Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA). The data analysis will be based on the crystallinity determination tests by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (ATR) that will also be applied in the larvae feces after contact with the polymer to assess for degradation. As a result of the compositional tests, the ATR showed predominantly characteristic absorptions of acrylic resin; in the TGA test, the loss of mass described in the test is related to the loss of mass of organic material, mainly polymer. Finally, in the DSC test a thermal event was observed in the heating of the sample, with peaks at 125 ° C (Tpm), characteristic of fusion, and a thermal event in the cooling of the sample, in 112 ° C (Tpc), characteristic of crystallization. Based on the analysis of the results obtained, it is possible to infer that most of the composition of the photopolymer is acrylic resin, widely used in stereolithography 3D printers. The research has the future objective of isolating the substance into the larvae responsible for degradation so that it can be degraded on industrial scales. The research started in March 2020 and is still under development due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which compromised the planned tests.