MERCon - 2020
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://192.248.9.226/handle/123/16315
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Browsing MERCon - 2020 by Author "Amarasinghe, DAS"
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- item: Conference-Full-textChemical modification of microcrystalline cellulose using sunflower oil(IEEE, 2020-07) Rathnayake, WSM; Karunanayake, L; Samarasekara, AMPB; Amarasinghe, DAS; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RPStructural, thermal, physical and mechanical properties of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) combined with its biodegradability make an excellent platform for the aptness of MCC in reinforcing polymeric composites along with a commercial success in the context of green chemistry. Main drawback of above union is the incompatibility of hydrophilic MCC and hydrophobic polymers which ultimately damp the desired property improvements. With a prospective and pioneering a green approach, this study introduces a novel method to modify the surface of MCC to introduce surface hydrophobicity. State of the treatment was analyzed with acyl percentage, FTIR analysis, wettability test, SEM images and TGA thermographs. Results uphold the success of the transesterification reaction of sunflower oil ethyl esters (SFEEs) with MCC showing higher attraction to nonpolar dichloromethane with an improved thermal stability. FTIR showed the successfully grafted SFEEs onto MCC surface. Modified MCC can be used in the fabrication of polymeric substances in the process of improving its mechanical properties simultaneously under green chemistrybased approach.
- item: Conference-Full-textEffect of particle size distribution of rice straw on cellulose extraction(IEEE, 2020-07) Ratnakumar, A; Samarasekara, AMPB; Amarasinghe, DAS; Karunanayake, L; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUSCellulose has become a wonder material in the present context of research and development since it is fibrous and tough, hence biodegradable, biocompatible, and renewable natural polymer which can be employed in various industrial applications. Nowadays, rice straw as a cellulose source has gained momentum as rice is one of the major crops grown in most of the tropical and subtropical countries of the world with half of the world population consuming it as the major food source. Chemical extraction and purification method is found to be the most efficient method for cellulose extraction from lignocellulosic biomass. Therefore, it is of paramount important to investigate the influence of parent materials on the synthesis process and the properties of the yield. In this research, effect of particle size distribution of locally available rice straw on cellulose synthesis was studied. Study revealed that after the series of chemical treatments M-75 yielded 27.19 ± 0.98 percent, M-250 yielded 38.31 ± 0.86 percent and M-H yielded 33.68 ± 0.68 percent cellulose. FTIR analysis revealed the sequential and complete removal of lignin (1516 cm−1, aromatic skeletal vibrations), hemicellulose (1729 cm−1, carbonyl stretching) and silica (796 cm−1, Si–O–Si stretching) thus, confirms the final product as cellulose. SEM images showed that M-75 exhibited whisker like structure whereas M-250 showed fibrillar network structure. These findings will have profound influence upon extracting cellulose from agricultural biomass.
- item: Conference-Full-textInvestigation of thermal and mechanical properties of micro crystalline cellulose based composites(IEEE, 2020-07) Maduranga, SMK; Silva, JASR; Samarasekara, AMPB; Amarasinghe, DAS; Karunanayake, L; Weragoda, VSC; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RPThis research work is based on the investigation of mechanical and thermal properties of micro crystalline cellulose (MCC) based polypropylene (PP) composites. MCC was surface modified by coconut oil to increase the compatibility between MCC and PP. One to five percents of unmodified MCC and modified MCC were mixed with PP to prepare composites. Mechanical, physical and thermal properties were investigated by tensile test, hardness test, water absorption test, VST test, thermal stability test with different MCC compositions. Tensile strength and tensile modulus variation of developed composite was predicted by using a modified Halpin-Tsai model.
- item: Conference-Full-textMcc-based transducer material to detect relative humidity(IEEE, 2020-07) Fernandopulle, AD; Karunanayake, L; Samarasekara, AMPB; Amarasinghe, DAS; Attygalle, D; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RPThere is a current trend to finds alternatives to non-biodegradable synthetic polymers and toxic inorganics with more eco-friendly natural materials. This study demonstrates the potential of Micro Crystalline Cellulose (MCC) as a smart material. Highly hydrophilic MCC has an excellent affinity for moisture. The study investigates the performance of MCC as a transducer material for capacitive relative humidity (RH) sensors in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 5 MHz. The MCC transducer provides remarkably accurate RH measurements for RH range 77-100%. As this transducer is compatible with most of the wearable materials, the proposed sensor could even be developed as a wearable sensor. The results provided here could open significant opportunities in the wearable sensor developments.
- item: Conference-Full-textProperty analysis of cellulose fibers extracted from traditional rice straw varieties(IEEE, 2020-07) Ratnakumar, A; Samarasekara, AMPB; Amarasinghe, DAS; Karunanayake, L; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RPAgriculture sector plays a vital role in Sri Lankan economy. Although the country is moving towards industrialization, agricultural sector still contributes substantially to both foreign exchange earnings and GDP. Straw generated from paddy cultivation is widely considered as agricultural waste as it has less commercial value. However, cellulose is the main component in paddy straw, which is a renewable resource, gains increasing importance due to its low cost and wide availability. The aim of this study was to extract cellulose fibers from Sri Lankan traditional rice straw varieties Murunkan, Pachchaperumal and Moddaikarupan via a series of chemical treatments and to ascertain their structure, morphology and thermal properties. Study revealed that higher amount of cellulose fibers were extracted from Moddaikarupan variety (38.31 ± 0.86 percent), then from Murunkan variety (33.68 ± 0.68 percent) and lastly from Pachchaperumal variety (33.63 ± 0.10 percent). Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis showed the successive and complete removal of noncellulosic components from the rice straw. Morphology of rice straw during the extraction process were distinct when the noncellulosic components were removed from rice straw. This study affirms that locally available rice straw varieties can be exploited as cellulose source.
- item: Conference-Full-textSurface wettability analysis of nichrome alloy based on the measurements of sessile droplet contact angles(IEEE, 2020-07) Kumarasiri, A; Amarasinghe, DAS; Attygalle; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RPNichrome (Ni/Cr) alloys are widely used in electrical devices due to their favorable electrical properties. However, these alloys are known to have a protective oxide layer on their surfaces. The presence of this oxide layer leads to a significant reduction of wettability of common solder materials on the nichrome surfaces. Poor solderability will cause loose connections and electrical resistance fluctuations. This paper discusses an attempt made to address this issue through electroplating. Instead of the conventional industrial approach, this study has adopted a contact angle based method to monitor the solder wettability changes. A new piece of equipment, together with analytical software, was developed to do the task. Electrodeposition significantly improved solderability on the nichrome surface. The contact angle reduction due to electrodeposition was over 60%. It was concluded that the passivation oxide layer was removed at the strike bath because of the reactions that occurred between the passive oxide layer and chloride ions. The formation of Ni-rich surface has favorably altered the surface energies to achieve better solderability.
- item: Conference-Full-textSynthesis and characterization of microcrystalline cellulose from cotton textile waste(IEEE, 2020-07) Jayasinghe, JMR; Samarasekara, AMPB; Amarasinghe, DAS; Weeraddana, C; Edussooriya, CUS; Abeysooriya, RPCotton is a natural resource that almost consists of 95% of cellulose and it is considered as the purest form of the naturally occurring cellulose. In the past recent years, cotton consumption demand in textile industry increased than the production. In textile engineering cotton blended with various other synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon and lycra. Therefore, the fabric recycling methods are quite complicated due to mixture/blend of materials in garment waste. In this study, method was developed to identify the amount of cotton present in the cotton/polyester blend based on Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) second-order derivative spectroscopic method. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was extracted by using the recycle cotton waste. MCC indicates high economic value and remarkable physical properties like specific surface chemistry, biodegradability, low toxicity, renewability and low CO2 emissions into the atmosphere during their production cycle. The study discussed the properties including; morphological features and size (Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)), chemical functionality (Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy), degree of crystallinity (X-ray diffraction (XRD)) and thermal properties (Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)). The yield of the MCC was 42% while length, crystallinity index and thermal degradation starting temperature recorded as 20-60μm, 58% and 315oC respectively.