Journal of Advanced Research in Micro and Nano Engineering

Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye by Using Different Nanoparticles

Benazir S Pirjade — 2024-03-30

Zinc sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) were produced through a straightforward and cost-efficient chemical co-precipitation technique, intended for use in the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue (MB) dye, both under ultraviolet and visible light exposure. To evaluate the synthesized nanoparticles, various analytical tools including ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) were employed. The XRD analysis confirmed the cubic symmetry of the synthesized NPs. SEM analysis revealed that the nanoparticles tend to aggregate, forming clusters of nanoparticles. TEM analysis illustrated that the ZnS nanoparticles exhibit a spherical morphology with uniform size distribution. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis exhibited a vibrational peak at 616 cm^-1. The degradation of methyl blue was investigated using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer as part of the study.

An Investigation of the Effect of Wide Range Gamma Radiation from Nanoindentation of the SAC305 Solder Alloy

Muhammad Nur Hisyam Rosman — 2024-03-30

This study utilises nanoindentation testing to investigate the impact of varying gamma radiation doses on the micromechanical properties of Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) alloy. Specifically, the focus is on evaluating changes in hardness, reduced modulus, and creep behaviour. The stencil-printed method and reflow soldering process were employed to apply the SAC solder paste and create solder joints on the surface of the printed circuit board. The soldered samples underwent exposure to gamma radiation at different doses, specifically 5, 50, 500, 5000, and 50000 Gy. The solder received in its original state was used as the control sample. Subsequently, the samples were subjected to a nanoindentation test in order to ascertain the correlation between load and depth, depth and dwell time, when exposed to radiation. The load-depth curve results indicate that there is a transition in the behaviour of solder joint materials from elastic to plastic deformation as the radiation dose increases. A finding has been made indicating that exposure to gamma radiation has the potential to induce a transition in the behaviour of SAC from an elastic state to a plastic state. The exposure to radiation doses has been found to induce changes in the atomic arrangement and structural properties of materials, leading to an increase in their hardness values. Nevertheless, it was observed that with increasing radiation doses up to 500 Gy, there was a noticeable decrease in the hardness value, which can be attributed to the occurrence of softening behaviour. Exposure to a high dose exceeding 5000 Gy leads to atomic displacement and transmutation products, subsequently resulting in plastic deformation. The stress exponent value signifies the occurrence of the deformation mechanism in solder material when exposed to gamma radiation. The study revealed that there was a shift in the deformation mechanism from grain boundary sliding to dislocation climb as the radiation dose increased from low to high levels.

Insights into the Pharmacognostic Elucidation of Harumanis Mango (Mangifera Indica Linn.) Leaves Extracts as Therapeutic Agent

Ryan Vitthaya Peron — 2024-03-30

Mangifera indica L. (mango) of the Anacardiaceae family is a fruit with many phytochemicals that are extensively used in various traditional systems of medicine to prevent and treat various diseases. In Malaysia, harumanis is a local variety of mango widely cultivated in the northern region, namely Perlis. However, the drawback of this harumanis variety of mango is that research and information on its therapeutics are scarce and limited. Therefore, localized harumanis leaves were introduced to a series of pharmacognostic studies to provide critical details explaining harumanis as a potential therapeutic agent. Initially, the harumanis leaves were introduced to quality analysis tests, unveiling that the raw material used abided by proper post-harvesting protocols. Then, the harumanis leaves were extracted using ultrasonic aided extraction (UAE) with 100% methanol (13.73±0.24 %), 50% methanol (14.47±0.19 %), 100% ethanol (10.35±0.19 %), 50% ethanol (12.61±0.26 %), and distilled water (8.09±0.21 %). Next, the initial phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, and saponins in all extracts. Subsequently, the phenolic and flavonoid content were quantified with the 50% methanol extracts recorded the highest total phenolic content (5.76 ± 0.02 mg/g), 50% ethanol extracts had the highest total flavonoid content (4.38 ± 0.04 mg/g). Fingerprinting analysis via FTIR spectroscopy was used to identify phytochemicals confirming the presence of flavonoids and phenolics compounds in all extracts. The extracts were then introduced to a DPPH inhibition assay with the highest IC₅₀ value obtained from 50% methanol with 75.2 ± 0.22 microgram per milliliter. Next, the antimicrobial capabilities were tested using a disc diffusion study on E. coli, B. subtilis, and Face normal flora showing that the methanolic extract has superior abilities in microbial inhibitions with the value recorded at 13mm, 22mm, and 14mm respectively. Overall, we obtained valuable pharmacognostic data on the harumanis leaves extracts as potential antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.

Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue and Methyl Orange Dye by Using the Core-Shell Structure of Fe3O4@ZnS Nanoparticles

Benazir S Pirjade — 2024-03-30

A straightforward and highly efficient method was developed for the synthesis of Fe₃O₄@ZnS core-shell nanoparticles (NPs). These synthesized materials were subsequently utilized for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) dyes. The structural characteristics of the prepared sample were meticulously investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline phase formation in the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, while a study in the Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) mode emphasized their strong ferromagnetic behavior. The degradation of dyes was comprehensively studied using UV-Vis analyses, taking into account factors such as pH and initial dye concentration in the decolorization process. The synthesized Fe₃O₄@ZnS core-shell nanostructure underwent thorough characterization using XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, SEM, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and VSM mode in PPMS. Furthermore, the reusability of the catalyst was explored, yielding promising results. The findings demonstrated the efficient photocatalytic degradation of MB and MO dyes under UV-visible irradiation, achieving significant results within 30-minute intervals.

CFD Based on The Visualisation of Aortic Valve Mechanism in Aortic Valve Stenosis for Risk Prediction at The Peak Velocity

Nur'Afifah Yousri — 2024-03-30

Aortic valve disease plays a crucial role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), leading to increased rates of mortality and morbidity. Two diseases, aortic valve regurgitation and aortic valve stenosis are known to occur in the aortic valve. However, aortic valve stenosis is gaining attention due to its severe impact on the patient. The malfunction of the aortic valve might be affected by blood flow, which leads to stenosis. This study aims to investigate the blood flow re-circulation on the aortic valve in different stenotic regions when the blood’s velocity reaches the pick flow of the time in the systole phases. Four different models of aortic valve stenotic are designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach governed by the Navier-Stokes equation is imposed to identify the characteristics of the blood backflow at the left ventricle. Several hemodynamic factors are considered, such as time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI) and relative residence time (RRT). The blood flow characteristic is expected to be chaotic, especially at the highest percentages of aortic valve stenosis, presenting the worst condition to the heart. This finding supports healthcare providers in foreseeing the deterioration of the patient’s condition and opting for aorta valve surgery replacement.

The Effect of Isothermal Aging on the Intermetallic Growth between SN100C Lead-Free Solders and ENIG Surface Finish

Dayang Izzah Nabilah Awang Azman — 2024-03-30

The selection of substrate material depends on solder joint requirements and will influence intermetallic compound (IMC) layer formation and reliability of the solder joints. Besides, using different solder materials can also affect the microstructure of IMCs formed during soldering and isothermal ageing process. This study investigated the effect of the IMC formation and microstructure evolution during reflow soldering and isothermal ageing using SN100C lead-free solders and ENIG surface finish. The characterization of the IMC formed during both reflow soldering and isothermal ageing in terms of the type, morphology, and thickness is then analyzed by using the Optical Microscope (OM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). The result reveals that there are two IMC formed at an interface between SN100C and ENIG which are (Cu, Ni)₆Sn₅ and (Ni, Cu)₃Sn₄ where (Ni, Cu)₃Sn₄ grows beneath (Cu, Ni)₆Sn₅. The thickness of the IMC formation in the SN100C/ENIG solder joint is also directly proportional to the ageing duration, indicating that the longer the time of the IMC exposed to high temperature affects the thickness of the IMC.

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Method for Defect Detection in Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic/Polymer (GFRP/GRP) Composite Materials Structures: A Review

Jeffry Jamil — 2024-03-30

Various industries are considering metal product in lieu composite materials. Structural engineers appreciate glass fibre reinforced plastic/polymer (GFRP/GRP) because to its high modulus of elasticity, ratio of strength to weight, and corrosion resistance features. It has been discovered that structural engineering defects to be leading cause for the catastrophic consequences. This paper provides an overview of available NDT methods that can be employed to assess the quality of GFRP/GRP composite materials. The most common NDT method used by researchers and practitioners is also discussed, along with the advantages, disadvantages, characteristics, and potential applications of these materials. The review will lead the research using ultrasonic testing as a potential method employing low-frequency transducers with multielement architecture. This study will lead industry players, GFRP/GRP manufacturers, researchers, and NDT practitioners towards the development of technical standards for ultrasonic testing on GFRP/GRP in Malaysia.

Comparison of Conventional CNN Sequential API and Functional API for Microalgae Identification

Sri Dewi Hisham — 2024-03-30

Microalgae is widely known for its application in producing biodiesel and other health supplements. However, microalgae are also the leading cause of harmful algae blooms that may affect consumers and sea wildlife. The current microalgae identification method requires professionals, resources, budgets, technologies, and time. Therefore, a novel approach to identifying microalgae has been produced by implementing deep learning, specifically the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Due to the blooming of research in the deep learning field for microalgae identification, this research aims to compare application programming interface (API) use and study its effects on the accuracy and loss of a model. Using a light microscope, the microalgae images' datasets are self-collected from the AlBio laboratory at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The microalgae species were Acutodesmus obliquus, Monoraphidium sp, Spirullina sp, Tetradesmus deserticola, and Desmodesmus perforatus. The architecture used to identify the microalgae in this research was the conventional CNN with different APIs, functional and sequential. The functional API resulted in 0.85 accuracies and a loss score of 3.77. On the other hand, the sequential scored 0.89 and a loss of 0.32. This study concluded that the sequential API was better than the functional API for a linear convolutional neural network. However, further improvement to the model could be applied by applying better hyperparameters and parameters to prevent underfitting and improve the model’s accuracy.

Polydimethylsiloxane-coated Fiber Bragg Grating as a Bend Sensor

Shazmil Azrai Sopian — 2024-03-30

The fiber Bragg grating sensor is often demonstrated as a bend sensor. However, the demonstrated sensor in previous studies was limited to low sensitivity, thus reducing the sensing performance. Hence, this work demonstrated the polydimethylsiloxane-coated fiber Bragg grating sensor for sensitivity enhancement. The proposed sensor with a diameter of 5 cm was bent by adjusting the translation stage from 0.1 cm to 0.9 cm distance in forward and backward direction. The results showed that the Bragg wavelength shifted towards the longer wavelength region when the distance decreased. The polydimethylsiloxane-coated fiber Bragg grating sensor shows a sensitivity of 1743000 A.U, 8 times higher than the uncoated fiber Bragg sensor with a sensitivity of 284000 A.U. The presence of the polydimethylsiloxane layer has successfully improved the sensor performance.

Superhydrophobic Surface of Ti6Al4V using Direct Nanosecond Laser Texturing

Mohd Harizan Zul — 2024-03-30

This study aims to investigate the impact of laser parameters, including laser power, laser frequency, laser scan speed, and hatches line distance, on Ti6Al4V to create superhydrophobic surfaces. Surface profile and roughness play vital roles in achieving superhydrophobicity, and existing laser surface modification methods are time-consuming and lack subsequent steps for optimizing desired characteristics. A factorial design was implemented, varying laser power (12 and 18 W), laser frequency (40 and 60 kHz), laser scan speed (180 and 220 mm/s), and hatch line distance (0.25 and 0.45 mm). Surface morphology and topological properties were analyzed for surface characterization. The results demonstrate a significant increase in surface roughness profiles such as Sa and Sq by 6 and 5 times, respectively, compared to the untextured surface. These modifications also led to enhancements in surface topological properties. Regression analysis revealed the importance of controlling the surface profile for achieving superhydrophobicity. Statistical analysis indicated that laser power, laser frequency, and laser speed were the most significant parameters contributing to superhydrophobicity. The optimum laser parameters for superhydrophobic surfaces were determined as 18 W laser power, 40 kHz laser frequency, and 220 mm/s laser scan speed. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the critical role of surface topological properties in creating superhydrophobic surfaces on Ti6Al4V. Laser texturing techniques successfully improved surface roughness and profile, facilitating the development of superhydrophobic surfaces. These findings offer valuable insights for advancing surface engineering, with potential applications in the aerospace, automotive, and biomedical industries.