Water absorption for insulation board made from cigarette butts

Roziman, Annisa Aishah (2024) Water absorption for insulation board made from cigarette butts. Project Report. Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. (Submitted)

Text (Full Text) Water absorption for insulation board made from cigarette butts.pdf - Submitted Version Download (1MB)

Abstract

Due to the negative impacts of improper disposal, cigarette butt waste has grown to be a significant environmental problem everywhere, including in Malaysia. Toxic substances and contaminants found in cigarette butts pose dangers to ecosystems and public health by leaching into the environment. The goal of this project is to develop an effective method to removes harmful compounds from cigarette butt and reuse it as insulators. The initiative also aims to study the correlation between water absorption and varying percentages of cigarette butt fibers in the insulation material and analyse the effect of thickness on the water absorption of insulation board made from cigarette butt. The procedure implemented involves meticulous cleaning process including manual removal of external papers, washing, soaking, and heating at 50°C to eliminate chemicals and expand the fibers. Subsequently, the cleaned cigarette butts undergo additional washing in methanol. Methanol can help to extract the cellulose acetate fibers from cigarette butts. Then, the extracted fibers are dried under the sun for 48 hours. Then, epoxy resin were used an adhesive to bind together fiber to make an insulation board with different fiber content. The analysis and discussion of this project encompassed various parameters determined to achieve the objective successfully. This involves comparing the characteristics of cigarette butt fibers to those of other fibers, such as their weight, thickness, and surface. Before that, morphological assessment using an optical microscope was utilized to gain insights into the structure of the obtained fibers. The effectiveness of the process utilised to remove dangerous substances from the filters was also examined in the study to guarantee that the fibers produced are secure and environmentally friendly. The results shows a direct correlation between fiber content and the surface attributes of the insulation boards. Thickness variations in the insulation boards also reveal their influence on water absorption, weight, and surface features. The data indicates that thinner samples may exhibit higher water absorption percentages. It can be seen that recycling cigarette butts into insulating fibers is a promising approach to reducing cigarette butt waste. The project's accomplishment in creating a practical technique to eliminate hazardous substances raises the viability of this recycling strategy. In conclusion, recycling cigarette butts into possible insulating fibers offers a creative and environmentally friendly way to deal with the problem of cigarette butt waste. By recycling this waste material, the project aids in the fight against waste generation, lessens environmental harm, and gives a hazardous substance a useful use.

Actions (login required)

View Item