An ability of fresh banana peel without surface modification was evaluated for the removal of lead ions from aqueous solution. Batch adsorption was performed at room temperature. The experimental conditions including dosage contact time initial concentration of lead( II) ion were studied. The characterization of fresh banana peel was carried out by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence ( ED-XRF) . The isotherm models of Langmuir and Freundlich were used to describe the adsorption mechanism involving the relationship between adsorbent surface capacity and adsorbed degree of lead(II)ion in the equilibrium conditions. The experimental data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm with a correlation coefficient of r2 greater than 0.86. The Maximum adsorption capacity (qm) was found to be 0.9151 mg/g. The results of ED-XRF of fresh banana peels before and after treatment with lead( II) ion confirmed that lead( II) ion was occupied onto the surface of fresh banana peel. Moreover the inside of fresh banana peels was found the lead(II)ion larger than the outside peels. It was concluded that waste of banana could be used as a low-cost adsorbent for removal of lead(II)ion from aqueous solution based on a simple adsorption method.

Silica is an amorphous and nanometer scale voids and porous form of silicon dioxide. As long known for its high specific surface area synthetic silica has been used to adsorb water readily and applied for keeping many biological products dry protecting equipment from moisture damage. In the study the researchers have interested in making the tentative eco-friendly dehumidifying products based on the silica extract from bamboo leaves. The extraction procedures were performed by boiling dry bamboo leaves with various concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) at 1 2 3 and 4 M then burning them at 650oC for 4 hr before analyzing the purity of the biosilica with the X-ray Fluorescence Method. The results showed that the highest purity of the biosilica sample at 96% could be obtained after treated with 4 M HCl comparing with the control commercial silica. By hygroscopic test the extracted biosilica with 2 M HCl showed the highest moisture absorption properties close to the commercial silica. While the highest adsorption capacity was found in the biosilica sample treated with 3 M HCl. The dehumidifying efficiencies of all HCl treated biosilica power were not much different comparing to the commercial silica gel. Instead of using synthetic silica therefore this high environmentally friendly and cheaper biosilica from bamboo leaves can preferably be decent and further applied in green industry.

Nowadays an automotive industry steadily has been growing and playing a major role on economy development for many years. The crash box is one of the most important parts for safety but it was found that the crash boxes manufactured domestically are not met international standard requirements. This is due to process and material limitation. This process for automotive safety test requires high budget and there is unclear approach for specific test. Therefore a study of crash boxes referred to energy absorption project was conducted as the alternative materials for product. Consequently this project was aimed to design and test crash boxes which made from the diversity of the alternative materials such as aluminum aluminum reinforced by foam resin reinforced by fiberglass resin reinforced by water hyacinth and resin reinforced by water hyacinth and husk. In addition it was also emphasized in studying energy absorption behavior and physical deformation of crash boxes after dynamic and static energy being applied. The experimental works were applied for these tests in partly referenced to US NCAP and ECE R29 standard for automobile collision test. Testing all types of crash boxes indicated that the aluminum reinforced by foam type was able to absorb energy at 189 MJ/m3. It is higher than resin reinforced by water hyacinth and husk at 1 MJ/m3 as 188 times. Furthermore the comparison of the energy absorption (per unit volume) between the aluminum reinforced by foam type and the steel type from the previous project equivalent 20 MJ/m3 found that it is 8.45 times of difference. While the front impact test was not successful because the size of crash boxes was not suitable for the energy volume. It was a cause for non-available calculation of energy absorption value.

Nowadays an automotive industry steadily has been growing and playing a major role on economy development for many years. The crash box is one of the most important parts for safety but it was found that the crash boxes manufactured domestically are not met international standard requirements. This is due to process and material limitation. This process for automotive safety test requires high budget and there is unclear approach for specific test. Therefore a study of crash boxes referred to energy absorption project was conducted as an alternative choice of testing. Regarding to the problems as addressed above this project was aimed to design and test crash boxes which come in various structures; simple type corrugated type and honeycomb type of crash box. In addition it was also emphasized in studying energy absorption behavior and physical deformation of crash boxes after dynamic and static energy being applied. Numeric simulation and static test methodology of front collision were applied for these tests in reference to USA NCAP standard for automobile collision test. Testing all types of crash boxes indicated that the corrugated type was able to absorb energy at 2.8% and 5.9% higher than honeycomb type and rectangular type respectively. This is capable to pick up stress and strain continually and effecting to more energy absorb than another type. Additionally this corrugated structure is feasible and suitable for crash box design in automotive manufacturing.