This work investigates some mechanical properties and microstructures of PPS-AlMMC and compares the properties of the composites and those of the aluminium 6063 (AA6063) alloy. Periwinkle shells were milled to particle sizes of 75µm and 150µm and used to produce PPS-AlMMC at 1,5,10 and 15wt% filler loadings using two-step casting technique. The mechanical properties and microstructures of the composite materials were compared with those of the AA6063 alloy. It was observed that the filler distributes uniformly in the matrix due to the two-step casting technique. Improved strength, ductility, hardness and modulus were obtained when the filler was used to reinforce the alloy. However, using a filler of bigger particle size resulted to reduced tensile strength, ductility and toughness of composites.

Nano-CaCO3 (NCC) obtained from Achatina achatina shells were used as single filler and as partial replacement of carbon black (CB) to produce vulcanized natural rubber (NR) filled at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 pphr. The SEM micrographs showed that the dispersion of the fillers in the hybrid composites up to 15wt% replacement of CB was very good. Higher strengths were obtained up to 25 pphr for composites that contained 95wt%CB/5wt%NCC and 90wt%CB/10wt%NCC, while the composites that contained 85wt%CB/15wt%NCC showed higher strength up to 20 pphr compared to the CB filled samples. The NR filled with hybrid CB/NCC up to 15wt% replacement of CB offered comparative hardness and abrasion resistance; while 95wt%CB/5wt% NCC filled sample showed lower compression set over CB reinforced samples up to 30 pphr and comparative tensile strength, hardness, elastic modulus and abrasion resistance. As single filler, the synthesized nanoparticles imparted significant improvement in the mechanical properties of vulcanized NR; however, the properties were inferior to the CB reinforced sample due to poor dispersion of the NCC in vulcanized NR. The thermal and oxidative stability of the hybrid composites up to 15wt% replacement of CB were better than those of the CB filled samples.

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This paper briefly reviews the applications of materials science and engineering in the pharmaceutical industry. The materials characterization techniques highlighted in the paper as being utilized in the pharmaceutical industry are dynamic light scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy, mercury intrusion, gas density pycnometry and energy density analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance and Raman microscopy. The other areas of applications of materials science and engineering in the pharmaceutical industry briefly discussed are materials processing, materials research and development, and materials selection. This paper further highlighted that the program as it is currently offered by various institutions in Nigeria is yet to incorporate the courses in pharmaceutical materials. It concluded by pointing out that some institutions outside Nigeria have incorporated pharmaceutical materials in the programs of materials science and engineering. Suggestions were made for the materials science and engineering programs in Nigeria to build further capacity for effective applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Keywords— Applications, materials engineering, pharmaceutical industry