The National Defence University of Malaysia (Malay: Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, abbreviated as NDUM or UPNM) is a military university located in Sungai Besi Camp, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The university is Malaysia's first catering to the needs and development of the Malaysian Armed Forces. There are around 2,700 undergraduate students, with over 890 of them Officer Cadets that undergo four to five years of training..
Oil palm trunks (OPT) represent an underutilized agricultural byproduct that poses significant environmental challenges. The effectiveness of OPT as feedstock for biochar production will be depends on carbonization conditions, yet the relationship between process parameters and biochar properties remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates the potential of converting OPT into micropores bioadsorbent through controlled carbonization. Biochar was produced at temperatures of 300, 400, and 500 °C, with residence times of 2, 3, and 4 h, and subsequently characterized for its physicochemical properties and adsorption capacity. The results indicate that biochar produced at 300 °C for 2 h exhibited the highest surface area (10.24 m2/g), while the carbon content peaked at 79.9
Environmental concerns over petroleum-based plastics have accelerated demand for biodegradable composites from renewable resources. Conventional filler loadings (5%-40%) consistently produce particle agglomeration and ductility loss, leaving a critical gap for composites achieving simultaneous strength, flexibility, and thermal stability. This study investigates ultra-low loading (0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%, 1.0%) NaOH-treated banana peel powder (BPP) as multifunctional reinforcement in PLA matrices. BPP was derived from agricultural waste, surface-modified with 0.1 M NaOH, dried, ground, and sieved to 177 mu m. Treated and untreated composites at four loading levels were fabricated via melt-blending and compression molding. ATR-FTIR confirmed significant surface reorganization post-treatment, including a 138.4% enrichment in cellulosic content (8.6% to 20.5%), validating improved interfacial compatibility. At 0.3 wt% treated BPP, composites exhibited simultaneous gains in tensile strength (62.15 MPa, +5.83%), flexural strength (95.93 MPa, +9.8%), and elongation at break (1.90%, +34.75%) a rare synergistic improvement in particulate systems. SEM confirmed uniform dispersion and strong matrix adhesion, while TGA and DSC revealed enhanced thermal stability (Tg: 63 degrees C, Tmax:354.90 degrees C) with marginal crystallinity reduction. This ultra-low loading approach demonstrates effective agricultural waste valorization while delivering superior performance in biodegradable polymer composites.
This study determined acoustic emission AE-based wavelet energy to characterize fatigue damage behavior under block spectrum loading. Acoustic emission signals were insufficient for interpreting fatigue damage behavior. Hence, further strategies were vital to enhance the characterization of failure. AE signals were continuously monitored and analyzed using continuous wavelet transform (CWT) to decompose them into time-frequency components, thereby facilitating the detection of damage phenomena. Analysis of wavelet coefficients and energy demonstrated a marked increase in AE activity during the crack propagation phase. The derived AE signals from CWT and power spectral density (PSD) for the cumulative energy decomposition revealed strong correlations with fatigue cycles, as demonstrated by high R² values exceeding 0.95. Both signals also showed high accuracy as all the data values lay within the 95
The study shows that Augmented Reality (AR) in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is largely comprised of situation-based prototype creation, using the ADDIE model primarily, with most being evaluated through expert usability or Student Perception, whereas few have used Pre and Post or Quasi-Experimental methods to demonstrate objective learning outcomes. In terms of output, the growth is apparent after the year 2020; however, the integration, scalability and long-term evaluation of AR-enhanced learning has been limited by instructors, devices, connectivity, curricula, SOP and funding. From a human-centered and inclusive innovation perspective, these limitations also identify challenges to achieving equitable access and sustainable adoption of AR-enhanced learning environments, especially in resource-constrained environments in TVET. These limitations demonstrate a larger challenge for those trying to advance inclusive digital education, which aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for quality and equitable education. The study also provides recommendations for competency-based evaluative and adoption pathways for moving AR from pilot to reproducible, systemic and pedagogical use in Malaysian TVET, contributing to the building of scalable and inclusive digital learning ecosystems aligned with a digitally empowered society.
