MERCon - 2021

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.248.9.226/handle/123/18493

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Browsing MERCon - 2021 by Author "Adikary, SU"

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    Numerical modeling of drying behavior of Sri Lankan kaolin
    (IEEE, 2021-07) Jayaweera, JMN; Narayana, M; Adikary, SU; Adhikariwatte, W; Rathnayake, M; Hemachandra, K
    Drying process of green ceramic bodies are complicated due to simultaneous and coupled heat and mass transfers. Dimensional variations and mechanical stresses occur within the ceramic body during drying may create defects in the final product if drying conditions are not carefully controlled. In this study, the drying behavior of Sri Lankan Kaolin was investigated. Initially, Kaolin was characterized using wet chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction to investigate structure and composition. Two batches of Kaolin with different particle size distributions were prepared using wet ball mill grinding with average particles size (D50) of 4.07 μm and 3.57 μm respectively. Green ceramic samples were obtained using extrusion process. Samples were dried in oven at 60°C and moisture variation of the green product was measured with time. Critical moisture content of the Sri Lankan Kaolin was 1.50%. Mathematical relationship was formulated to determine drying behavior of Sri Lankan Kaolin. An unsteady three-dimensional (3D) model was developed and simulated in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) framework. Simulation results developed by the model were compared with data obtained by experiments conducted using Sri Lankan Kaolin. The model results were validated and comply with experiments results and R 2 value was 0.9.
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    Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan/Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite for Bone Tissue Engineering Applications
    (IEEE, 2021-07) Rajapakse, HD; Adikary, SU; Adhikariwatte, W; Rathnayake, M; Hemachandra, K
    Chitosan/nanohydroxyapatite composite was synthesized by co-precipitation of nanohydroxyapatite onto a chitosan scaffold. The aim of this research was to extract chitosan from locally sourced shrimp shells species Penaeus Monodon and to synthesize chitosan/nanohydroxyapatite composite. The morphology, crystalline structure and composition of the composites were investigated using Scanning electron microscopic analysis, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles dispersed in the chitosan matrix were observed in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The size of the nanohydroxyapatite particles was estimated to be 13 nm by the X-ray diffractometer pattern using the Halder-Wagner method and this value was confirmed by the SEM images. From the energy dispersive X-ray analysis, the Ca/P weight ratio obtained was around 2 which equivalents to that of hydroxyapatite. The thermogravimetric analysis measurements of the composites concluded that the decomposition temperature decreases with increasing Hydroxyapatite content.