Development and characterization of treated kaolin filled polypropylene/kaolin nanocomposites

This research work focused on producing modified kaolin filler in polypropylene/kaolin (PP/K) nanocomposite by melt compounding process in order to improve its mechanical and thermal properties for industrial applications. The surface treatments of micron sized Malaysian kaolin were conducted to produce nano sized kaolin by acidification of kaolin fillers with sulphuric acid and planetary milling using urea (mechanochemical milling). Testing on both surface treated kaolin were carried out with the aid of Field Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Particle Size Analyser and results of both treated kaolin were compared. However, the surface treated kaolin using acidification was unsuccessful as shown by XRD, FTIR and BET results. A successful delamination of micron sized into nano sized kaolin was achieved by mechanochemical milling. The additional bands at 3624, 3445 and 3388 cm-1 and illite phase at lower 2θ by FTIR and XRD studies respectively, indicated delamination of kaolin. Surface area increased by 400% from BET results. The PP/K nanocomposite was produced by incorporating low weight (1-7%) percentages of organically modified nanokaolin into PP by melt compounding with polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) as coupling agent. The FTIR and XRD analyses on chemical structure showed successful synthesis of PP/K nanocomposites by the vanishing of characteristic of OH bands and peaks of kaolin respectively. The tensile and impact strength, tan δ, loss modulus and melt flow index of PP/K nanocomposite decreases by 17, 27, 36, 32 and 78% respectively. Conversely, the results show that incorporation of nanokaolin clay into PP causes increase in thermal degradation (200%), crystalinity (17%), nucleation effect (17%), storage modulus (10%), surface roughness (87%), and optical (262%). Whereas, TEM of PP/K nanocomposite exhibit nanokaolin dispersion with nanoscale sizes. Therefore, the PP/K nanocomposites formulated shall be a potential candidate for manufacturing novel new materials of attraction in many sectors

Effects of Acid Treatment on the SEM-EDX Characteristics of Kaolin Clay

Raw kaolin was refluxed by sulphuric acid in variable concentrations of 2 M, 4 M, 6 M and 8 M. The morphology and elemental compositions of the acid-leached kaolin were analyse by Field Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) respectively. The disintegration and leaching of Al3+ ions of the clay are determined by FESEM studies. The acid treatment increases the silicon content and decreases aluminium content as revealed by EDX analysis. The leaching of Al3+ ions increases with gradual increase in concentration of the acid. Therefore, kaolin reflux with acid at lower strength (2 M and 4 M) are more dispersed and more industrially useful than that which is treated at higher acid strength

Antecedent of Corporate Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Performance of Small and Medium Manufacturing Enterprises in the Post Covid 19 Era: The Case Nigeria

Even in the post-pandemic period, the Covid-19 pandemic still has a multiplier effect on the performance of SMEs. As sales revenues dropped, branches were closed, and employees’ jobs and overall performance were impacted negatively around the world. This paper aims to review literature to determine research antecedents on the relationship between firms’ entrepreneurial orientation and manufacturing SMEs' performance in the post-Covid-19 era in Africa and the rest of the developing economies. This is to note the area needed to cover some of the major causes of the variation in this sub-sector of the economy for future research. A literature survey methodology was employed for the current article. Articles were reviewed from sources including journals (Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Academia, and ResearchGate platform), and ordinary articles that spanned from 2002-2022 to understand the antecedents of research contexts and variables explored. The findings revealed that most studies focused on large-scale manufacturing firms and SMEs and considered external environmental factors like regulation, competition, interest and a few others to explain variation in enterprise performance. Furthermore, the result shows that non-multidimensional measures of enterprise performance were used. Consequently, a new conceptual framework was developed to look at firms’ inward entrepreneurial orientation as the driving factor for organisational performance improvement. The implication of the proposed framework developed is to harness strategies for performance improvement, growth, and survival in a complex and dynamic business environment. Thus, the paper concludes that the way to this development is for SMEs to build capacities that entrench their corporate entrepreneurial orientation to suit every business situation.

Efficiency of Extraction of Trace metals from Blood samples using Wet Digestion and Microwave Digestion Techniques

The efficiency of extraction of trace metals using conventional wet acid digestion method (CDM) and microwave induced acid digestion method (MWD) was determined by recovery experiments. The high percentage recoveries obtained from microwave induced acid digestion method make it to be a more efficient method than the conventional wet acid method. The conventional wet acid digestion method is time consuming while the MWD method saves time, less than four minutes are required to complete the digestion of the biological samples in this study

Teachers' Perception on Influence of Social Adjustment on Academic Performance of Students with Mild Mental Retardation in Gombe State Special School

This study focused on determining the perception of teachers on influence of social adjustment on academic performance in West African Examinations Council/National Examinations Council (WAEC/NECO) of students with mild mental retardation in Gombe state, with emphasis on special secondary school. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A total population of 37 teachers were used as respondents. Using drop and pick method, data was collected using adapted social adjustment (questionnaire) from Mei- Yin, Huei – Shyong & Cheng-Jung (2000) in Taiwan with 22 items. The instrument was reduced to 18 items. The instrument was validated by 2 experts and reliability was of 0.82 was obtained through Chronbach’s Alfa coefficient determination formula and the original reported reliability is 0.85. Data was analysed using descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean and SD) statistics. The study found that level of academic performance WAEC/NECO of mentally retarded students is moderate in Gombe state special school, while the level of social adjustment on academic performance WAEC/NECO of mentally retarded students was found to be high as perceived by the teachers. The study concludes that the teachers in Gombe state special school are heterogeneous and social adjustment has great influence on academic performance of mentally retarded students. The study recommends that government should make it a policy that, all mentally retarded persons between the ages of 5-7 are subjected to social adjustment programmes which will transit them into formal school system and parents of mentally retarded children should improve their closeness with their children and also build in hope of their rehabilitation

Effect of cognitive restructuring counselling technique on reduction of bullying behaviour among secondary school students in Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria

Introduction: Bullying as a relational behavior where younger and less stronger ones experience malicious intention from some bigger or stronger ones has been noticed among students. The latter were found to show the intent to harm others because of some reasons among which are life experiences that shapes their behavior. Purpose: Examined the effect of cognitive restructuring counselling technique in reducing bullying behavior among secondary school students in Sokoto metropolis, Nigeria. Methodology: The study used a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test experimental and control group design. The study population comprises of 71 bully students and a sample of 40 students, assigned to the experimental and control groups, respectively. Bullying Behavior Questionnaire (BBQ) was the instrument used for data collection. Validities of face and content for the instrument were established and also a reliability index of 0.88 was achieved through the test-retest technique. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics frequency and simple percentage in answering the research question while t-test for independent sample was used in testing the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. Results: It was revealed that there is a significant difference in the effect of the cognitive restructuring Counselling technique on reduction of bullying behavior between the experimental and control groups in favor of the experimental group (t = -10.544, p = .000). However, there was no significant gender difference in the effect of the cognitive restructuring counselling technique on bullying behavior (t = .095, p = .926).  Recommendations: Teachers, counsellors, and all stakeholders in education should use the cognitive restructuring Counselling technique to treat bullying behavior of students

Comparing bacteriological parameters of sachet water samples collected in Nassarawa and Tarauni local Governments, Kano Metropolis, Kano State, Nigeria

Background: Water is a resource that is both invaluable and vital to the existence of all living organisms, but this valued resource is increasingly being threatened as human populations grow and demand more water of high quality for domestic purposes and economic activities. The conducted research was aimed to assessing bacteriological quality of sachet water samples sealed and sold and consumed in some Local Governments. Methods: The bacteriological quality assessment of sachet water samples were determined by Aerobic Plate Count (APC), test for Coliforms and Biochemical Test (IMViC).  The tests were preceded by staining technique. Moreover, the Aerobic Plate Count results revealed various values (CFU)/100ml of water samples collected and examined. Results: Going by zero tolerance levels stipulated by regulatory agencies for coliforms in drinking water, a cumulative figure of twenty five percent (25%)meets the standards of drinking water quality and subsequent percentages were satisfactory, suspicious as well as unsatisfactory which were in conformity with that of world health organization, 2010. The total percentage of good sachet water samples based on this research was 90% and that of bad samples was 10% as indicated. It revealed the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the sample waters. Conclusion: It has been concluded that most sachets water samples sold and consumed in Kano metropolis conformed with world health organiztion (WHO) recommended standards for potable water and the consumption of some sachet waters whose values are either above or below WHO and SON permissible limit may pose health hazards to the consumers

Structural and morphological studies of polypropylene/kaolin nanocomposite

Nanocomposite of polypropylene (PP) was made by melt intercalation technique with nanokaolin. Kaolin particles were modified with urea by intercalation to produce nanokaolin. Structural and morphological analyses of polypropylene/kaolin nanocomposite was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Field Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The interaction of FT-IR confirms hydrogen bonds formed between urea molecules and the inner surface of kaolin layers. It also gives evidence that kaolin was dramatically delaminated into nano scale by intercalation activity. Whereas, FESEM shows kaolin particles were homogeneously dispersed into the PP matrix

Formulation of laundry soap using locally made Palm Kernel Oil in Nigeria

Soap is one of the most important thing used for human daily life activities in cleansing and skin care purposes. Palm Kernel Oil is an edible oil that has many advantages in soap making, shampoo, and other skin care products. It also has so many medicinal properties like removal of toxins from the body. Palm Kernel Oil locally produced in Anyigba (Nigeria) was used to prepare the soap with lye aqueous solution using both Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) and other additives using cold process. The pH- value, Solubility and foam height were checked. The pH-values of the soap samples was found to be 9.88 – 10.00 and was within the limit set by standard organization of Nigeria. The prepared soap with the pH-values above does not irritate the skin and has good cleaning and foaming property

Effect of Additives on Polypropylene/Kaolin Composite Prepared via In-situ Process

Polypropylene/Kaolin (PP/K) composites were prepared by in-situ process with additives, in particular ungrafted maleic anhydride (MA) and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) each at varied parts per hundred resin (1 phr, 3 phr, and 5 phr). The two-roll mixer machine was used in compounding of the PP/K composite, then all the samples were moulded through the injection moulding machine. The synthesized samples were investigated with the aim to seek the one with the best property among the composites. These samples were characterized by Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), Melt flow index (MFI), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The FTIR spectrum reveals new peaks different from the PP bands signifying successful coupling and formation of the expected composite.  There were variations in respect of the values of index of fluidity 2.04 to 1.72 g/10min for PP/UK and between 2.04 to 1.98 g/10 min in favour of PP/TK as observed in the MFI result. SEM which studies the morphology of the composite demonstrates indication for delamination and eventually intercalation of the composite. Accordingly, there is promising effect in preparation of composite through this process