Publications by authors named "Shazleen S"

The utilization of agricultural residues to obtain biocompounds of high-added value has significantly increased in the past decades. The conversion of agro-based residues into valuable products appears to be an economically efficient, environment-friendly, and protracted waste management practice. The implementation of ultrasonic technologies in the conversion of value-added goods from agricultural waste materials through pre-treatment and valorization processes has imparted many advantageous effects including rapid processing, effective process performance, minimization of processing steps, minimal dependency on harmful chemicals, and an increased yield and properties of bio-products.

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This present study optimized the cellulose nanofiber (CNF) loading and melt processing conditions of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate--3-hydroxyhexanoate) P(HB--11% HHx) bionanocomposite fabrication in twin screw extruder by using the response surface methodology (RSM). A face-centered central composite design (CCD) was applied to statistically specify the important parameters, namely CNF loading (1-9 wt.%), rotational speed (20-60 rpm), and temperature (135-175 °C), on the mechanical properties of the P(HB--11% HHx) bionanocomposites.

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Nanocellulose has emerged in recent years as one of the most notable green materials available due to its numerous appealing factors, including its non-toxic nature, biodegradability, high aspect ratio, superior mechanical capabilities, remarkable optical properties, anisotropic shape, high mechanical strength, excellent biocompatibility and tailorable surface chemistry. It is proving to be a promising material in a range of applications pertinent to the material engineering to biomedical applications. In this review, recent advances in the preparation, modification, and emerging application of nanocellulose, especially cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), are described and discussed based on the analysis of the latest investigations.

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Biocomposites are materials that are easy to manufacture and environmentally friendly. Sugar palm fibre (SPF) is considered to be an emerging reinforcement candidate that could provide improved mechanical stiffness and strength to the biocomposites. Numerous studies have been recently conducted on sugar palm biocomposites to evaluate their physical, mechanical and thermal properties in various conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study explored how adding cellulose nanofibers (CNF) and varying amounts of PLA--MA compatibilizer affect the crystallization and mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA).
  • It was found that PLA--MA enhanced nucleation but did not improve the crystallization rate compared to uncompatibilized PLA with CNF at a specific temperature.
  • While adding PLA--MA led to increased rigidity (higher Young's modulus), it reduced tensile strength, indicating that it may not be necessary for better crystallization and strength in PLA/CNF nanocomposites.
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The utilization of lignocellulosic biomass in various applications has a promising potential as advanced technology progresses due to its renowned advantages as cheap and abundant feedstock. The main drawback in the utilization of this type of biomass is the essential requirement for the pretreatment process. The most common pretreatment process applied is chemical pretreatment.

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Natural fiber such as bamboo fiber, oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber, kenaf fiber, and sugar palm fiber-reinforced polymer composites are being increasingly developed for lightweight structures with high specific strength in the automotive, marine, aerospace, and construction industries with significant economic benefits, sustainability, and environmental benefits. The plant-based natural fibers are hydrophilic, which is incompatible with hydrophobic polymer matrices. This leads to a reduction of their interfacial bonding and to the poor thermal stability performance of the resulting fiber-reinforced polymer composite.

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In the field of hybrid natural fiber polymer composites, there has been a recent surge in research and innovation for structural applications. To expand the strengths and applications of this category of materials, significant effort was put into improving their mechanical properties. Hybridization is a designed technique for fiber-reinforced composite materials that involves combining two or more fibers of different groups within a single matrix to manipulate the desired properties.

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Article Synopsis
  • Polylactic acid (PLA) shows slow crystallization during processing, but incorporating cellulose nanofibers (CNF) can improve this rate by serving as nucleating agents.
  • A study examined PLA with varying CNF loadings (1-6 wt.%), finding that a 3 wt.% CNF content (PLA/CNF3) optimized both crystallization rates and mechanical properties (highest crystallinity and strength).
  • Higher CNF concentrations beyond 3 wt.% led to decreased crystallization rates due to agglomeration, while PLA/CNF4 recorded the best tensile properties but similar to PLA/CNF3, highlighting that 3 wt.% CNF provides the best balance of functionality in the material.
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