Functional electrospun nanofibres for heat dissipation applications

With the rapid growth in electronic power density, effective heat dissipation has been the primary issue to be addressed in the continuous development of industrial electronics, which aims to minimize size while increasing performance. This has resulted in experts working hard to create innovative and effective ways to deal with the problem of heat dissipation at high temperatures, in order to improve the heat transfer rate between hot surfaces and the environment by increasing the heat transfer coefficients or expanding the heat transfer area. Nanofiber was discovered to be one of the potential alternative materials that could serve the purpose in heat dissipation application due to its large Surface Area to Volume Ratio (SAVR). Most of the time, the nanofiber is fabricated by means of bicomponent extrusion, phase separation, template synthesis, drawing, melt blowing, centrifugal spinning, and electrospinning. As for this study, electrospinning is utilized by using Polyacrylonitrile-Dimethylformamide (PAN-DMF) solution to produce PAN nanofibers. Two samples were prepared with different tip-to-collector distances; Sample I = 10cm and Sample II = 20cm, to establish the minimum and maximum size of PAN nanofibers that could be produced under the limitation imposed by the currently available electrospinning machine in the Advanced Materials Characterization Laboratory (AMCHAL) in UTeM, Melaka. Both of the samples were characterized on their respective morphology and fiber diameter to be used as a reference in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation in ANSYS Fluent. The simulations of the fibers were conducted as steady-state thermal analysis with the Turbulence Model of Realizable k-epsilon with enhanced wall treatment. The morphology of the fiber resembles a somewhat smooth cylindrical solid with a continuous, and randomly oriented pattern while the diameter of the fiber produced was 1.24μm and 717nm, respectively. From the simulation, the total Heat Flux dissipated with regard to SAVR constant volume were 104.35992 × 103 W for Nanofiber Model and 104.35989 W for Microfiber Model. Due to the value of SAVR in nanofiber was discovered to be inversely related to the diameter of the nanofiber, nanofiber with smaller diameter will dissipate heat better than nanofiber with greater diameter, particularly when heat dissipation is required in very tiny area

Symbols and Metaphors: Translations from “Hikayat Inderaputera” into Painting / Mohd Shahrul Hisham Ahmad Tarmizi ...[et al.]

This research covers constituents of symbols and metaphors based on ‘Hikayat Inderaputera’ and it is connected to the intrinsic and extrinsic elements in visual art. The research is actually related to the view of possibilities of metaphor applied in the study of painting. ‘Hikayat Inderaputera’ can be translated into expressions, imaginations, and perceptions through painting and it also gives meaning and connection in semiotic approach. In a creative process, paintings are always related to narrative as a visual language and it is a part of structure in picture making. To understand metaphors, we need to consider semiotic as a methodology and it requires language as a structure, arguing that structuralism could equally be applied to any system of meaning making. It is actually a set of signal or codes. This research also explains how the researcher remarks and relates ‘Hikayat Inderaputera’ to previous works. In painting, artists always apply metaphors to create visual narratives while they are also being reflected writers. In addition, the researcher realized “Hikayat Inderaputera” as a way of expressions in creating symbols and metaphors. It can be translated into new possibilities of readings, visual languages, signs and can also be developed in new directions to represent other associations in images making especially in paintin

Composting of food waste and its product performance on ipomoea aquatica

Food wastage is a serious problem reported currently, and their disposal at landfills caused environmental problems such as leachate and odour. Apart from being disposed, FW is biodegradable, and hence it can be treated through composting. Composting involves the activity of microbes to convert the FW into compost which can be used as organic fertiliser. While most of the previous studies focused on one type of composting method, the comparison between two methods to determine the efficient one in producing good quality compost is scarce. Hence, this study aimed to compare the physicochemical parameters of FW in conventional and spinning barrel composting method. Physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, moisture content except for C/N ratio) were measured every three days interval throughout 30 composting days and analysed using SPSS. For the results, only moisture content differed significantly between both methods in which spinning barrel reach an optimum range of 54.61% in the end. The FW compost from both composting methods was then combined for application on I. aquatica. Four fertilisation treatments; control, NPK fertiliser, FW compost and combination of NPK fertiliser + FW compost were used to measure and compare the growth of I. aquatica in determining the best fertilisation treatment by looking at growth parameters (height, number of leaves and leaf width). The growth parameters were measured weekly for five weeks, and data were analysed using SASS. It was found that the best fertilisation treatment was the combination of NPK fertiliser + FW compost that recorded a better growth of I. aquatica (significant tallest height, the highest number of leaves and largest leaf width) most probably due to the synergetic effect of nutrients released from both fertilisers. To conclude, apart from reducing the FW disposed at landfills, composting also produce a valuable end product known as compost which can be used in combined with NPK fertiliser to promote the planting of I. aquatica

Composting of food waste and its product performance on Ipomoea aquatica

Food wastage is a serious problem reported currently, and their disposal at landfills caused environmental problems such as leachate and odour. Apart from being disposed, FW is biodegradable, and hence it can be treated through composting. Composting involves the activity of microbes to convert the FW into compost which can be used as organic fertiliser. While most of the previous studies focused on one type of composting method, the comparison between two methods to determine the efficient one in producing good quality compost is scarce. Hence, this study aimed to compare the physicochemical parameters of FW in convennonal and spinning barrel composting method. Physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, moisture content except for C/N ratio) were measured every three days interval throughout 30 composting days and analysed using SPSS. For the results, only moisture content differed significantly between both methods in which spinning barrel reach an optimum range of 54.61% in the end. The FW compost from both composting methods was then combined for application on i. a‹Juntica. Four fertilisation treatments; control, NPK fertiliser, FW compost and combination of NPK fertiliser + FW compost were used to measure and compare the growth of J. nqflaficn in determining the best fertilisation treatment by looking at growth parameters (height, number of leaves and leaf width). The growth parameters were measured weekly for five weeks, and data were analysed using SASS. It was found that the best fertilisation treatment was the combination of NPK fertiliser + FW compost that recorded a better growth of I. aquatica (significant tallest height, the highest number of leaves and largest leaf width) most probably due to the synergetic effect of nutrients released from both fertilisers. To conclude, apart from reducing the FW disposed at landfills, composting also produce a valuable end product known as compost which can be used in combined with NPK fertiliser to promote the planting of i. aquntica

The evaluation of an Online peer support group on the levels of internal and external self-confidence among undergraduate students during Covid-19 pandemic: a Bandura’s Theory of Self-Efficacy Approach

The Covid-19 pandemic had a great impact on individuals of all walks of life in the aspect of psychosocial functioning particularly those from a B40 background as well as students. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho socio-spiritual educational support group using the Bandura’s Theory of Self-Efficacy approach on the levels of internal and external self-confidence among 4th-year undergraduate IIUM students during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also aims to identify the issues of self-confidence from the participants during Covid-19. Seven 4th-year IIUM undergraduate students have been interviewed to identify the self-confidence issues and 22 participants (N=22) from the age of 22 to 24 years old were recruited via purposive sampling method to participate in the online peer support group. The present study used a mixed-method, exploratory approach with a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test-post-test design and a qualitative design. Two questionnaires have been utilized, the internal and external self-confidence scale by Kelsey Evelyn Perkins, and in-depth interviews employed five open-ended questions. The Likert scales consisted of 12-items that required participants to rate from 1“strongly disagree to 7 “strongly agree.” Data were analysed qualitatively by thematic analysis and quantitatively using Paired Sample T-test computed in the 26.0 version of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) with a P-value <0.5 considered statistically significant. There was a statistically significant increase in Internal Self Confidence pre-test score (M=55.64, SD=9.459) to Post-test (M=69.55, SD=9.012), t(21)=5.670, p<0.05 (two-tailed). There was also an increment for External Self Confidence pre-test score, (M= 41.00, SD=10.156) and post-test (M=50.18, SD=13.800), t(21)=3.217, p<0.05 (two-tailed) after the implementation of the online peer support group among undergraduate students during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the current research, peer support might be a helpful tool to improve self-confidence among undergraduate students and broaden its function as a coping mechanism to improve the quality of life and well-being. The findings of this research will also shed light on the use of Bandura’s Theory of Self-Efficacy in the fostering of Internal and External Self-confidence