Ilyas R.A.

University of Technology Malaysia | UTM · Department of Chemical Engineering

The palm oil industry generates a significant amount of solid and liquid waste known as palm oil mill effluent (POME), which poses environmental risks to land and aquatic ecosystems. POME must be treated before being released into the environment to reduce the receiving water pollution. Phytoremediation, using aquatics plants like water spinach (Ip...

As global paper demand accelerates, concerns over deforestation from traditional wood pulp production underscore the urgent need for sustainable alternatives. This study explores sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) fibers, an abundant by-product in Malaysia, as a promising renewable source for papermaking. The research aims to optimize sodium hydroxide (Na...

Sugar palm fiber stands as a remarkable agro-waste plant, holding the key to unlocking its boundless potential as an abundant biomass source for an array of captivating biomaterial applications. This study aims to develop sugar palm nano-fibrillated cellulose (SPNFC) involved ionic liquid pretreatment, hydrogen peroxide bleaching, and mechanical we...

The performance of polymer composites not only addresses challenges in aircraft components but also contributes to industries, such as automotive, architecture, marine, military, sports, and construction. Current manufacturing techniques and the expertise of engineers are crucial in identifying the most suitable biomimetic materials for specific ap...

Composites are being applied in different industries, like the biomedical and automotive industries as well as construction. Thus, this chapter focuses on various types of composites, their benefits and drawbacks, as well as their performance improvements, and investigates the influence of adopting reinforcing agents, nanoparticles, and hybridizati...

Since the COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan, China, the SARS-CoV-2 had caused about six million fatalities and 500 million infections, with community transmission being found to be in dozens of nations. Global effects had already been felt due to job losses, disruptions to the world’s transportation and supply networks, a decline in corporate profitabilit...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged from a virus in Wuhan, China, a large amount of plastic medical waste was produced in the form of polypropylene-based personal protective equipment (PPE). Given its demand and limited reusability, it was crucial that a safe and sustainable disposing method was developed—in case of a similar, future event;...

Biocomposite materials have the capacity to aid the indirect transmission of viral diseases. In this chapter, research and development on biocomposites related to COVID-19 is presented. Biocomposites are alternatively used to produce a wide range of products that are “high-touch” surfaces including sports equipment, medical appliances, and househol...

This chapter delves into the multifaceted realm of functional materials and composites, exploring their pivotal role in combating viral spread, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With a focus on antiviral and antimicrobial applications, the discussion navigates through innovative approaches ranging from the development of functional composite...

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges, necessitating innovative approaches to combat viral transmission and mitigate its impact on public health. Nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool in this battle, offering promising solutions across various fronts. This chapter explores the significant role of nanotechnology, particula...

The green nanotechnology field has received ample attention and emerged as a viable option for producing nanoparticles (NPs) in an eco-friendly, sustainable, and reliable manner. The rosy periwinkle leaf extract to metal oxide NPs is an encouraging alternative to chemical synthesis. In this study, aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and zinc oxide (ZnO) na...

Special Issue Introduction In today's era of growing environmental concerns, sustainable 3D-printed bio-inspired structures and their life cycle assessment (LCA) have become an important topic in additive manufacturing technology. With various environmental challenges, such as resource depletion and waste generation, additive manufacturing offers...

The increasing levels of ammonium in wastewater pose serious environmental issues, highlighting the urgent need for effective adsorbents to facilitate its removal. Although conventional biological treatment methods have certain drawbacks, adsorption using carbonaceous materials, such as carbon black produced from waste tires, presents a promising a...

Cellulose is a natural biopolymer extensively utilized in biomedical applications. This study aims to develop a novel cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from areca nut shell, reinforced with cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs). XRD analysis confirms successful synthesis of crystalline CNF and CeO2NPs with the cubic structure, strengthened by Le-Bail refine...

Table of Contents, Issue 10, Volume 12, Journal of Renewable Materials

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) market becomes increasingly competitive and profit margins are tightening, manufacturers must create solutions to optimize profit in LDPE high pressure tubular reactors. Thus, in this study, the optimization of LDPE was proposed and conducted by improving the design and parameter adjustment of the LDPE tubular reacto...

Plastic is a ubiquitous material used to meet various human needs. However, its use negatively impacts the environment due to its non-biodegradability, contribution to pollution, and potential health threats. Biocomposite materials offer a promising solution to these problems. This study aimed to develop biocomposite films using a polyvinyl alcohol...

Urban areas significantly contribute to global carbon emissions, necessitating a shift toward low‐carbon environments. The concept of low‐carbon cities presents a viable pathway for mitigating these anthropogenic emissions, particularly through solid waste management. This article explores the critical role of circular economy‐integrated waste mana...

The development of novel materials based on renewable materials with beneficial properties that assist with energy efficiency and conservation has been encouraged by increasing consciousness of environmental issues. This research intends to use sustainable cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) obtained from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) as reinforcem...

The bioactive constituent extraction process of ginger leaves a residue containing lignocellulose as a nanocellulose source. Ginger has extractive components such as oleoresin, essential oils, and other bioactives. The compounds in the extractives can act as antibacterial and antifungal as food pathogens, including suppressing biocomposite film for...

In this study, significant improvements in mechanical properties have been seen through the efficient inclusion of Oil Palm Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNF) as nano-fillers into green polymer matrices produced from biomass with a 28 % carbon content. The goal of the research was to make green epoxy nanocomposites utilizing solution blending process with...

The long-term presence of pharmaceutical pollution in water bodies has raised public awareness. Nanocellulose is often used in adsorption to remove pollutants from wastewater since it is an abundant, green and sustainable material. This paper offers an extensive overview of the recent works reporting the potential of nanocellulose-based adsorbents...

This chapter explores the significance of tuber plants, known for their carbohydrate-rich composition, particularly starch, which serves as a vital energy source and widespread applications in food, animal feed, and pastry production. Various tubers like cassava, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are highlighted for their starch content. The starch in t...

Citation: Janjua, A.A.; Younas, M.; Ilyas, R.A.; Shyha, I.; Faisal, N.H.; Inam, F.; Saharudin, M.S. Optimizing DMF Utilization for Improved MXene Dispersions in Epoxy Nanocomposites. J. Compos. Sci. 2024, 8, 340. https://doi.org/10.3390/ Abstract: Dimethylformamide (DMF), a polar solvent, is commonly used for preparing graphene/ epoxy nanocomposite...

Flax fibers are suitable for lightweight applications and offer cost-effective solutions that do not compromise mechanical performance. Amongst natural fibers, flax fibers are the strongest and currently used in various mechanical and thermal-based applications. Chemical and structural compositions determine its behavior. Besides, many studies expl...

The study explores the use of eggshells, rich in calcium carbonate (CaCO3), as fillers in composites. The study examines the impact of incorporating eggshell-derived calcium oxide (CaO) filler (0, 1, 5, 10, 15 wt.%) in unsaturated polyester (UP) composites, and adding 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 wt.% CaO filler in recycled glass fibre reinforced polymer (rGFRP)/...

Bamboo fibres, which are widely regarded as a contemporary environmentally sustainable resource, have been utilised in various industries including construction materials and packaging sectors. Malaysia possesses a diverse array of bamboo species, rendering it a significant resource for exploration. Five out of the 69 bamboo species discovered in M...

This study reported the development and characterisation of bio-nanocomposite films based on the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) reinforced with cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) of different concentrations (1–5 wt%), isolated from pineapple leaf fibre via high-shear homogenisation and ultrasonication. The PVA film and bio-nanocomposite were prepared using a sol...

In view of the growing concern over the threat of antibiotic resistance and bacterial infections, this study evaluated the antimicrobial performance and characteristics of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers incorporated with Methylene Blue (MB). Following the fabrication of chitosan/PVA nanofibers loaded with different MB concentrations vi...

The concurrent engineering approach necessitates integrating material selection into the product design to effectively align with client specifications. Premature product failure, leading to substantial losses, frequently arises as a consequence of inadequate material selection due to conflicting demands. The Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) p...

Paper is a commonly utilized material in various aspects of daily life. However, the pulp and paper industry face environmental challenges related to pollution and deforestation. The utilization of non-wood fibres, such as agricultural waste of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) from oil palm trunk (OPT), may offer sustainable alternatives to wood-...

Arsenic contamination resulted from the rapid development of various industries affecting the water resource quality worldwide. Because of the risk of arsenic exposure to both the environment and humans, specific arsenic wastewater treatment is required to meet the anticipated water quality standards. A better understanding of current technologies...

Dimethylformamide (DMF), a polar solvent, is commonly used for preparing graphene/epoxy nanocomposites. While commonly previous research has predominantly highlighted the improvement in physio-mechanical properties of these nanocomposites, the effect of DMF on processing and its direct influence on the final characteristics of MXene/epoxy nanocompo...

Cadmium pollution in wastewater has long become a daunting issue because of the rapid development of industries and modern technologies, exposure to cadmium has a significant effect on human health. Thus, it is crucial to treat wastewater, this review aims to discuss and compare different treatments for cadmium in wastewater such as precipitation,...

This research focuses on determining the elastic properties from the development of a three-dimensional constitutive model of impregnated oil palm trunk reinforced with epoxy (OPTE) composite. The research aims to simulate the tensile behaviour of OPTE composite for finite element analysis and compared with the OPTE experimental results, respective...

This study explores the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using cellar spider extracts as a sustainable alternative to traditional methods involving hazardous chemicals and radiation. The spider extracts effectively reduced zinc acetate dihydrate, yielding white precipitates indicative of ZnO NPs. Characterization through SEM re...

Bagasse from sugarcane, which is a significant waste product that is produced annually, presents issues for the environment. Nonetheless, its chemical make-up implies possibilities for creating a range of goods with additional value. The objective of this study was to obtain cellulose of excellent quality from sugarcane bagasse, considering its pur...

R.A. Ilyas is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia. He is also a Fellow of International Association of Advanced Materials (IAAM), Sweden, Fellow of International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS), Japan, a member of Royal Society of Chemistry, UK and Institute...

The rapid advancement of polymer composites, particularly those reinforced with hybrid kenaf, has positioned them as viable structural materials across diverse industries such as automotive, defense, aerospace, marine, construction, and naval. Despite their growing popularity, recent advances in kenaf yarn‐reinforced thermoplastic acrylonitrile but...

The increasing global concern over the contamination of natural resources, especially freshwater, has intensified the need for effective water treatment methods. This article focuses on the utilization of Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), sourced from lignocellulosic materials, for addressing environmental challenges. CNCs a product of cellulose-rich...

Concerns about the depletion of wood resources and the environmental impact of increasing demand for paper goods have led to the quest for alternate sources of fiber for pulp and paper manufacture. Non-wood fibers, such as agricultural residues, are seen as a sustainable and renewable source of fiber. However, due to changes in chemical composition...

Hybridization of natural fibers with ceramic materials for reinforcing composites allows the optimization of the properties of these materials. For this reason, the present study aims to investigate physical, mechanical, water absorption, swelling and thermal properties as well as morphological characteristics of a hybrid Paederia foetida fibers–al...

Sustainable materials have been increasingly used in the automotive industry for low-load demanding applications such as dashboards, non-structural interior components, and spare tire covers. The adoption of bio-composites has environmental benefits because their lightweight properties contributed to reduced vehicle weight, resulting in less fuel c...

In order to accommodate the increased demand for innovative materials, intensive research has focused on natural resources. In pursuit of advanced substances that exhibit functionality, sustainability, recyclability, and cost-effectiveness, the present work attempted an alternative study on cellulose nanofibers derived from sugar palm fiber. Levera...

The materials sector has grown significantly over the last few decades. One from the community worldwide has embraced using natural fibers and biopolymers in many products due to significant problems with petroleum supplies and concerns about using synthetic plastics as biomaterials. The availability of lignocellulosic fiber polymer composites worl...

In the original publication [...]

The preparation method of cellulose films plays a vital role in their properties. This work aims to characterize 2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized bacterial cellulose powder (TOBCP) films prepared with three different methods (casting, boiling-casting, and boiling-vacuum). It is found that film by casting (CT film) shows the...

A commonly wasted agricultural waste, pomegranate peel has attracted attention as a useful biomaterial with a wide range of potential uses. Fruit and vegetable wastes create environmental difficulties, as well as a loss of valuable biomass and a financial cost to enterprises, due to its high biodegradability. This study focuses on the extraction an...

Polymer composites are well-known versatile materials that manifest various promising characteristics. These materials have been broadly utilized for a wide range of engineering applications such as aerospace, automobile, and construction to substitute metal alloys with the aim of reducing the overall weight of the structures while improving specif...

In recent years, the global demand for sustainable products has driven interest in abaca fibre due to its unique properties such as high strength, elasticity, and salinity resistance. Abaca fibre is widely used in specialty paper products like tea bags, currency paper, and filter papers, valued for its durability and liquid absorption without teari...