Polyethersulfone/HFO mixed matrix membrane for enhanced oily wastewater rejection

The recent growth of oil and gas industry has led to the increase of oily wastewater release. Membrane technology has been in the spotlight in recent advancement to treat the oily wastewater. Fouling due to surfactant adsorption and/or oil droplets plugging the pore has become one of the major hindrances in most of the research on oily wastewater treatment. In this work, self-synthesized hydrous ferric dioxide nanoparticles (HFO NPs) via chemical precipitation method were incorporated in polyethersulfone (PES) to fabricate a novel nanocomposite mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for ultrafiltration (UF). The morphologies and physicochemical properties of prepared HFO NPs and MMMs were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM), contact angle goniometer, before further subjected to water permeation test and oil rejection test. It was found that contact angle of membrane decreased remarkably with an increase in HFO nanoparticle loading from 70° to 38° at which proved its improved hydrophilicity which led to a significant rise in permeate flux, achieving 168.06 L/m2h bar in comparison to 63.67 L/m2h bar shown by the plain PES membrane. Total rejection of oil (100% rejection) demonstrated by the MMMs has confirmed the superior potential of PES/HFO UF membrane for total purification of oily wastewater especially to be reused in oilfield and refinery processes as well as to be released to the environment

Very Massive Stars and the Eddington Limit

We use contemporary evolutionary models for Very Massive Stars (VMS) to assess whether the Eddington limit constrains the upper stellar mass limit. We also consider the interplay between mass and age for the wind properties and spectral morphology of VMS, with reference to the recently modified classification scheme for O2-3.5If*/WN stars. Finally, the death of VMS in the local universe is considered in the context of pair instability supernovae.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, from "Four Decades of Massive Star Research" (Quebec, Jul 2011), ASP Conf Ser, in press (L. Drissen, C. Robert, N. St-Louis, A.F.J. Moffat, eds.

Utilizing rapid prototyping 3D printer for fabricating flexographic PDMS printing plate

Recently printed electronic field is significantly growth. Printed electronic is to develop electrical devices by printing method. Conventional printing method that has been studied for this kind of printed electronic such as flexographic, micro contact printing, screen printing, gravure and ink jet. In flexographic and microcontact printing, a printing plate is used to transfer the designed and desired pattern to substrate through conformed contact. Therefore printing plate is play a big role in this area. Printing plate making by photopolymer which used in flexographic have limitation in achieving a micro-scale of pattern size. However, printing plate of microcontact printing have an advantages in producing micro, even nano-scale size by PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane). Hence, rapid prototyping 3D printer was used for developing a PDMS micro-scale printing plate which will be used in reel to reel (R2R) flexographic due to high speed, low cost, mass production of this type of printing process. The flexibility of 3D printer in producing any shape of pattern easily, contributed the success of this study. A nickel plating and glass etching master pattern was used in this study too as master pattern mould since 3D printer has been reached the micro size limitation. The finest multiple solid line array with 1mm width and 2mm gap pattern of printing plate was successfully fabricated by 3D printer master mould due to size limitation of the FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer nozzle itself. However, the micro-scale multiple solid line array of 100micron and 25micron successfully made by nikel platting and glass etching master mould respectively. Those types of printing plate producing method is valueable since it is easy, fast and low cost, used for micro-flexographic in printed electronic field or biomedical application

Simultaneous multiple responses modelling, optimisation and correlation of Asian type peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) roasting using response surface methodology

The effect of hot-air roasting temperatures and time on colour (L*), moisture content (% d.b.), hardness (N), and fracturability (mm) attributes of two different type of peanuts (China and India origin) were investigated using response surface methodology (RSM). The central composite design (CCD) was used to investigate temperatures ranging from 130–170 °C (China) and 130–200 °C (India), while roasting time was from 20–80 min (China) and 15–50 min (India). The results revealed that temperature and time have significant effect on all the responses. Increase in roasting time and temperature caused a decrease in all the responses for both peanuts. A feasible experimental condition of peanut roasting obtained from the optimisation of simultaneous multiple attributes’ response for the China and India peanuts was 152 °C for 60 min and 158 °C for 45 min, respectively. The strongest linearrelationship was found between hardness and fracturability, while the weakest was between colour and fracturability for both peanuts

THE EFFORTS ON SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT FKMP ON QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKING TOP 300 BY SUBJECT

oai:ojs.umb-intl-journal.com:article/2This article review each vital elements and aspects that contribute to sustain recent achievement of Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (FKMP), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia by the QS world university ranking by subject in 2015. Some of recent and important issues are discussed and reviewed. The suggestions for improvements are also raised out for further reference

THE EFFORTS ON SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT FKMP ON QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKING TOP 300 BY SUBJECT

This article review each vital elements and aspects that contribute to sustain recent achievement of Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (FKMP), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia by the QS world university ranking by subject in 2015. Some of recent and important issues are discussed and reviewed. The suggestions for improvements are also raised out for further reference

THE EFFORTS ON SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ACHIEVEMENT FKMP ON QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKING TOP 300 BY SUBJECT

This article review each vital elements and aspects that contribute to sustain recent achievement of Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (FKMP), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia by the QS world university ranking by subject in 2015. Some of recent and important issues are discussed and reviewed. The suggestions for improvements are also raised out for further reference

Brunei: building and enshrining an absolute monarchy

Brunei Darussalam is one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the world today. In an era that sees countries move towards democratisation, Brunei has moved towards the entrenchment of its absolute monarchy. With that in mind, the question this thesis seeks to examine is how Brunei has managed to remain an absolute monarchy in the face of global democratisation, particularly given that it was under the British sphere of influence until 1984. What are the reasons behind Brunei’s exceptionalism in development and will these reasons allow Brunei to remain an absolute monarchy? To answer the central question, this research looks at constitutional developments in the light of Brunei’s history, traditions, culture and society. The research undertaken to answer this question has been purely doctrinal in nature. The primary reason this approach was adopted was because the nature of Brunei’s absolute monarchy has resulted in general disinclination in the country to discuss matters of local politics frankly. This has resulted in a distinct lack of authoritative research about Brunei in most fields. The contribution that this research makes to the subject is that, it is the first research that attempts to explain the existence of the constitutional anomaly that is the absolute monarchy of Brunei, through a contextual understanding of Brunei’s constitutional journey. Drawing on historical, legal, political and sociological elements, this thesis concludes that the absolute monarchy of Brunei was built by the restructuring of traditional governance by the British, entrenched by the manipulation of constitutional provisions by the Sultan and enshrined through the use of nation building ideology also by the Sultan. This ideology being so successfully implanted into Brunei society over the last thirty years, barring the entry of new variables, it seems likely that Brunei will remain an absolute monarchy in the years to come

The Relationship between Organizational Politics, Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention in the Maritime-Related Agencies in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia

The study aimed to examine the relationship between organizational politics, employee’s job satisfaction and turnover intention in the public maritime-related agencies in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The study utilized cross sectional research design. An enumeration of entire population (census) was conducted on 140 employees from Royal Malaysian Custom and Department of Fisheries in Terengganu. Data for the study were collected through questionnaire. 140 set of questionnaire were distributed and 109 copies were returned. Preliminary analyses were performed to ensure violation of assumptions of normality, linearity and homogeneity which enables us to analyze the data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and SmartPLS softwares. The findings revealed a significant association between organizational politics, employee’s job satisfaction and turnover intention. The study therefore recommended that the agencies should actively focus on positive political behaviour that will fuel workers’ job satisfaction and they should ensure proper pay structure including pay performance and other bonuses that will lead to employee job satisfaction and reduce turnover intention. Finally, the findings of this study could assist the public maritime-related agencies in the area of organizational politics that would promote employee job satisfaction.     Keywords: organizational politics, job satisfaction, turnover intentio