Papers by Author: Mohamad Kamal Harun

Abstract: Acrylate/carbon nanotubes nanocomposites were prepared using sol-gel method. Carbon nanotubes with different percentage (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8% and 1.0%) incorporated into acrylate and deposited on mild steel. Surface of acrylate/carbon nanotubes composites were characterized using by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Carbon nanotubes uniformly distributed in acrylate observed by FESEM shows increase in percentage of carbon nanotubes blend with acrylate the peak distribution become decreases.

Abstract: Polymer electrolytes consist of poly(vinylidene fluoride –hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate, LiTf (LiCF3SO3) were prepared by dissolving in dimethylformamide (DMF) using solution casting method and further dried in vacuum oven. The conductivity of each sample was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) method. The samples were measured in two different environments viz. in humidity chamber (40% RH; 27°C) and at ambient condition (~60% RH; 27°C). The maximum conductivity obtained for the samples in humidity chamber was 8.05 × 10-5 S/cm with addition of 35 wt% of LiTf. Meanwhile, the highest conducting samples (with addition of 45 wt% of LiTf) exhibited the ambient condition temperature of 1.11 ×10-4 S/cm. Further increased salt concentration from the optimize concentration values has reduced the conductivity of the polymer electrolyte. Dielectric permittivity studies revealed that samples showed the non-Debye behaviors

Abstract: A study was conducted on the effects of surface pre-treatment with 3- aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APS) on the water absorption and adhesion behaviour of two commercial alkyd and epoxy polyamide organic coatings on mild steel and glass substrates. The results indicated that using 3-APS as surface pre-treatment prior to coating resulted in a significant reduction of total water absorption for alkyd on both mild steel and glass substrate. Subsequently ile adhesion of alkyd is enhanced on both pre-treated mild steel and glass substrate. However 3-APS pre-treatment of mild steel increases water absorption of epoxy and lowers its adhesion strength. While 3-APS pre-treatment of glass reduces water absorption of epoxy and subsequently enhances the overall wet adhesion. These data are consistent with the known adsorption behaviour of 3-APS to steel, i.e. as an easily hydrolysed hydrogen-bond to the amine group, rather than as the more stable metal-oxide-silicon bond.