Conversion of agro wastes into potential raw materials for production has gained a lot of attention in research. This has led to the development of ceiling board using waste breadfruit seed coat and Recycled Low Density Polyethylene, as filler and binder respectively. The filler material (Breadfruit seed coat), was treated with 1 mol/dm3 of NaOH to eliminate the pigment and neutralized using 0.5 mol/dm3 Acetic Acid. After drying, the filler material was ground to a particle size of 600μm. Using Central Composite Design (CCD) tool of the Design Expert software, the experimental design was set up. From the design, thirty experimental samples were developed with the production parameters; press time, press pressure, press temperature and filler/rLDPE ratio as the independent variables. The produced samples were tested for Thermal Conductivity, Water Absorption, Thickness Swell and Density tests, which formed the responses for the Central Composite Design. The results of the experiment were analysed using the Response Surface Methodology while the validation was done using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The optimal values obtained for the production parameters are 19.722% filer/rLDPE, 10minutes press time, 197.31 °C press temperature and 9.042MPa press pressure, which gave a 775.661 g/cm3 density, 0.308% Water Absorption, 0.962% Thickness Swell and 0.367W/M.K Thermal Conductivity. This result shows that agro waste breadfruit seed coat is a good filler material for the production of ceiling board.
This work presents the use as a filler of carbonized breadfruit seed coat and recycled low density polyethylene as the binder in ceiling board manufacturing. The depulped bread fruit seed was carbonized for 2 h at a temperature of 500°C. The experimental design was set up using the Design Expert software. A total of 30 experimental tests were developed for four parameters and three responses. The parameters are carbonized bread fruit seed coat/recycled Low Density Polyethylene mass ratio (filler-binder mass ratio), compaction time, compaction temperature and compaction pressure while the responses are thermal conductivity, thickness swell and water absorption. The models developed have been validated using the Study of Variance (ANOVA). Using the 3D surface map, the influence of the parameters on the responses was studied. The optimization method of the Design Expert program was used to evaluate the optimal level of the parameters that will produce the best possible result from their combination. The result gave optimal values of 16.206% filler/rLDPE, 9.406minutes compaction time, 200°C compaction temperature and 11 MPa compaction pressure, which gave 0.246% Water Absorption, 1.998% Thickness Swell and 2.898 W/M.K Thermal Conductivity.
This study presented the analyses of the design and construction of a motorized 40-ton constant temperature hydraulic press, for constant temperature compression purposes of fibre matrices. Standard design considerations and calculations were done to ensure the selection of effective and efficient components for the development of the machine. The construction of the machine involved standard manufacturing processes which involved marking out, cutting, drilling, machining and welding processes. The design was motorized for the purpose of increasing mechanical advantage as against hand-powered press. Design analyses were carried out to facilitate accurate dimensioning of the various parts of the hydraulic press. For adequate spring selection, the spring analysis of the system was also done. On testing of the finished device, no sign of leakages and system failure were observed. The effect of press time, temperature and pressure on the density of test samples, during a manufacturing process using the developed machine showed good working condition on both the compression and heating processes of the machine.
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