S. A. Abdulkareem; J. O. Ighalo; A. G. Adeniyi
Abstract
The prospective reuse of iron fillings from the milling machine and polystyrene in the solid waste streams in the production of plastic composites were considered in this study. The preparation, electrical properties, density, void fraction and particle distributions of the solvated polystyrene filled ...
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The prospective reuse of iron fillings from the milling machine and polystyrene in the solid waste streams in the production of plastic composites were considered in this study. The preparation, electrical properties, density, void fraction and particle distributions of the solvated polystyrene filled composites were all investigated as a function of recycled iron fillings concentration. The composites were developed by hand layup technique and cured by casting under ambient conditions (25 ± 2oC) for 7 days. The compared micrographs confirmed well-dispersed recycled iron fillings in polystyrene matrix and decreasing void fraction as iron filling increases in the composites. The highest electrical conductivity and density values of the composites were obtained at the highest iron filling composition of 40 wt% as 5.91 × 10-07 S/cm and 1.31 g/cm3, respectively. The developed iron polystyrene composite has good electrical properties, making it suitable to be an alternative material for metals.
A. G. Adeniyi; D. V. Onifade; J. O. Ighalo; S. A. Abdulkareem; M. K. Amosa
Abstract
Plantain stalks obtained from solid waste stream of Ganmo market in Ilorin was used in this study. Natural fibres extraction from waste plantain stalk was achieved using biological retting methods. The natural fibre was rented from the waste stalk after 24 days of soaking in water. The extracted fibres ...
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Plantain stalks obtained from solid waste stream of Ganmo market in Ilorin was used in this study. Natural fibres extraction from waste plantain stalk was achieved using biological retting methods. The natural fibre was rented from the waste stalk after 24 days of soaking in water. The extracted fibres were exposed to 2, 4 and 6% alkali solution (NaOH) treatment for two hours, washed and dried in the oven for 7 hours. Elemental analysis of raw plantain fibres showed the presence of elements like Indium, Potassium, Silicon and Calcium among others. Tensile strength analysis of the fibres, for single fibre strands showed that the 2% treated fibre showed distinctly promising potential with the highest tensile characteristics of young modulus, stress at break and force at peak of 52864.366N/mm2, 5398.536N/mm2 and 2.650N, respectively. Evaluation of the chemical composition of plantain by FTIR spectroscopy indicated that treatment of natural fibres using NaOH beyond 2% have a negative impact on the plantain fibre properties. Through alkali exposure, the fibre configuration presents small variations in composition. It is consequently apparent that alkali treatment with concentration of less than 2% NaOH is sufficient to remove hemicelluloses and to obtain the optimum tensile effect.
