Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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Effect of zinc oxide suspension on the overall filler content of the PLA/ZnO composites and cPLA/ZnO composites

2023-01-01 , Tan M.A. , Yeoh Cheow Keat , Teh P.L. , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim , Song C.C. , Voon Chun Hong

This work aimed to study the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) filler suspension on the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of polylactic acid (PLA)/ZnO and cPLA/ZnO. Fused deposition modelling, one of the additive manufacturing methods, was used to fabricate the PLA specimen. PLA was used as the main material in this project, and the ZnO suspension was added during the printing process. The speed of the dispenser (low speed = 1,000 rpm, medium speed = 1,400 rpm, and high speed = 1,800 rpm) was the parameter that was varied to control the filler content of the composite. All the samples underwent a tensile test to determine the mechanical properties, followed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) test to analyse the fracture surface properties of the tensile test. SEM observations showed the PLA samples' inherent smooth appearance, but the PLA/ZnO composite showed a rougher surface. PLA and cPLA composites showed an enhanced storage modulus but lower loss modulus than the pure samples. Because of the high thermal and electrical conductivity of carbon black and ZnO, cPLA composites had higher electrical and thermal conductivity than PLA composites.

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Effect of silicone rubber on the properties of epoxy/recovered carbon black (rCB) conductive materials

2024-04 , Pei Chee Leow , Teh Pei Leng , Yeoh Cheow Keat , Wee Chun Wong , Chong Hooi Yew , Xue Yi Lim , Kai Kheng Yeoh , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim , Voon Chun Hong

The primary focus of this study is to investigate the effect of silicone rubber (SR) content on the mechanical, thermal, electrical conductivity, and morphological properties of epoxy/recovered carbon black (rCB) conductive material. The conductive material is used to produce the electrostatic discharge (ESD) tray for the electronic packaging industry. This study investigated the effect of silicone rubber content (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 vol.%) on the properties of epoxy/SR/rCB conductive materials, with the rCB content fixed at 15 vol.% for its optimum electrical conductivity. The silicone rubber acts as a toughening agent for epoxy. Through the fracture toughness result, it can be identified that silicone rubber plays a role in improving the toughness properties of the epoxy/SR/rCB conductive material. The optimum results for mechanical properties were recorded at 5 vol.% SR. The addition of SR to the epoxy matrix enhances the electrical properties of the epoxy/SR/rCB conductive material. The effect of thermal aging on epoxy/SR/rCB conductive materials was also studied to determine the properties of the conductive material materials at high temperatures for a long period of time. After thermal aging, the mechanical, thermal, electrical conductivity, and morphological properties of the epoxy/SR/rCB conductive material were slightly reduced.

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Mechanical and electrical performances of different silicone rubber content in polyurethane elastomer/silicone rubber/graphene nano-platelets conductive material

2021-07-21 , Heng C.W. , Teh Pei Leng , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim , Yeoh Cheow Keat

Immiscible polyurethane elastomer (PUE)/silicone rubber/graphene nano-platelets blend composites filled with different PUE/silicone rubber blend ratio were synthesised by using solution casting technique. In this work, two different types of silicone rubber: liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and powdered silicone rubber (PSR) were used as secondary matrix based on double percolation concept to construct an immiscible blend that has a balance electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. The electrical conductivity has increased gradually, but the mechanical properties of the composites shows a remarkable decline when silicone rubber loading increases up to 20 vol% for both blend systems. The well balance of electrical conductivity and performance is achieved at 15 vol.% of silicone rubber loading. Overall, PUE/PSR/GnPs at 15 vol. % of silicone rubber content has higher electrical conductivity and mechanical strength as compared to PUE/LSR/GnPs blend system.

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Microwave welding with SiCNW/PMMA nanocomposite thin films: enhanced joint strength and performance

2025-01 , Phey Yee Foong , Voon Chun Hong , Lim Bee Ying , Foo Wah Low , Teh Pei Leng , Nor Azizah Parmin , Subash Chandra Bose Gopinath , Veeradasan Perumal , Yeoh Cheow Keat , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim

Most previously reported susceptors for microwave welding are in powder form. In this study, a thin-film susceptor was employed due to its uniform heating rate and ease of handling. Silicon carbide nanowhisker (SiCNW) were incorporated into a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix to create a nanocomposite thin film, which served as the susceptor. The microwave welding process involved three straightforward steps: fabrication of the PMMA/SiCNW nanocomposite thin film, application of the nanocomposite film to the target area, and subsequent microwave heating. Upon cooling, a robust microwave-welded joint was formed. The mechanical properties and microstructure of the welded joints were characterized using single-lap shear tests, three-point bending tests, and scanning electron microscopy. Results demonstrated that the shear strength and elastic modulus of the welded joints were optimized with increased heating time and SiCNW filler loading. This optimization is attributed to the formation of a SiCNW-filled polypropylene (PP) nanocomposite layer of increasing thickness at the welded joint interface. However, the incorporation of SiCNW also constrained the mobility of the PP chains, reducing the joint’s flexibility. Furthermore, the welded joint formed with the PMMA/SiCNW nanocomposite thin-film susceptor exhibited an 18.82% improvement in shear strength compared to joints formed with a powdered SiCNW susceptor. This study not only demonstrates the potential of PMMA/SiCNW nanocomposite thin films as efficient susceptors for microwave welding but also paves the way for developing high-performance polymer-based composite joints with improved mechanical properties for applications in the automotive, aerospace, and construction industries.

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Comparison study between recovered carbon black and commercial carbon black filled epoxy conductive materials

2024-01-01 , Ooi H.M. , Teh Pei Leng , Yeoh Cheow Keat , Wong W.C. , Yew C.H. , Lim X.Y. , Yeoh K.K. , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim , Voon Chun Hong

Waste tire management and recycling have grown to be significant issues because they bring up a global environmental concern. Thus, turning recycled waste tires into useful products may help tackle the environmental issue. This research aims to study and compare the effect of recycled carbon black (rCB) and commercial carbon black (CB) at certain 15 vol. % of filler loading on the mechanical, thermal, morphology and electrical properties of epoxy/CB composites. For this project, epoxy resin, diethyltoluenediamine (DETDA), recovered carbon black (rCB) and commercial carbon black (CB) graded N330, N550, N660 and N774 were mixed and compared accordingly to the formulation determined. The CB content was dispersed in the epoxy matrix using the mechanical mixing technique. The distribution and dispersion of CB in the epoxy matrix affect the characteristics of the conductive composites. rCB content at 15 vol% was selected at fixed content for comparison purposes due to the optimum value in electrical conductivity results. The flexural strength results followed the sequence of rCB>N774>N660>N550>N330. As for electrical conductivity results, epoxy/N330 exhibited the highest conductivity value, while the others achieved a magnitude of X10-3 due to the highest external surface area of N330. In terms of thermal stability, epoxy/N330 and epoxy/N774 were slightly more stable than epoxy/rCB.

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Effect of infill density with ZnO concentration on the mechanical properties of 3D printed PLA/ZnO composites

2022-05-18 , Tan M.A. , Yeoh Cheow Keat , Teh Pei Leng , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim , Song C.C. , Mansor N.S.S. , Lim J.H.

Polylactic acid (PLA) plastics are biodegradable materials manufactured from PLA resin by melt spinning and solvent spinning methods. PLA is widely applied in textile fabric, non-woven, masks and sanitary napkins applications due to excellent safety, environmental protection and good mechanical properties. The process of 3D printing is continuous and able to produce complex three-dimensional structures. PLA/ZnO composite samples were fabricated by a 3D printer. ZnO acts as filler in PLA/ZnO composites to obtain the excellent properties like specific tensile properties and density. However, ZnO agglomeration occurred at higher concentration when viewed via SEM. Printing parameters such as infill density, raster orientation and infill pattern can influence the mechanical properties of 3D samples as well. The objective of this paper is to determine the effect of infill density with different ZnO concentration on the mechanical properties of 3D printed PLA/ZnO composites. Tensile and density measurement were carried out to determine the mechanical properties of composites. The influence of 80%, 90%, 100% infill rate and ZnO concentration varied by 1 and 5 mol. As a result, higher infill rate (100%) and optimum filler concentration (1 mol ZnO) give the excellent properties thus can be used for future applications.

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Dielectric and mechanical properties of PLA-carbon composites

2024-04 , Mathanesh Thangarajan , Yeoh Cheow Keat , Teh Pei Leng , Wee Chun Wong , Chong Hui Yew , Kang Zheng Khor , Nor Azura Abdul Rahim , Voon Chun Hong

This study focuses on the development and characterization of Carbon-based Polylactide (PLA) composites for 3D printer filaments. The aim is to enhance the electrical and mechanical properties of PLA by incorporating recovered carbon black (RCB) in different mesh sizes (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mesh). Electrical impedance spectroscopy and dielectric constant measurements were performed to investigate the electrical properties of the composites. Results showed that the addition of RCB increased the dielectric constant, with values ranging from 2.5 to 7.1, indicating improved electrical performance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed the dispersion of carbon particles within the composites, enhancing their electrical conductivity. The effect of RCB particle size on electrical properties was also explored, with smaller particle sizes (2000 mesh) resulting in the highest conductivity of 6.2 S/m. Tensile testing demonstrated that the addition of RCB increases the tensile strength of PLA, with values ranging from 28.6 MPa to 47.2 MPa, and the elastic modulus, ranging from 832 MPa to 1.56 GPa, depending on the mesh size. The optimal combination of RCB content and mesh size resulted in a composite with a tensile strength of 43.8 MPa. Overall, this research provides insights into the development of Carbon-based PLA composites with improved electrical and mechanical properties.