Abstract. Biodegradable composites or green composites were prepared by melt blending technique using polycaprolactone and oil palm empty fruit bunch fibre (OPEFB). Since OPEFB is not compatible with PCL a binder, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), (PVP) was used to improve the interaction between PCL and OPEFB. The composites produced were irradiated using electron beam to improve the mechanical properties. The tensile, flexural and impact strengths of PCL/OPEFB composites were improved by addition of 1% by weight of PVP and irradiated with 10 kGy of electron beam. The FTIR spectra indicate a slight increase of frequencies at C=O peaks from 1730 to 1732 cm -1 after irradiation indicates some interaction between C=O and O-H. The surface morphology of the facture surface obtained from tensile test shows no fibre pull out indicating good adhesion between the OPEFB and PCL after addition of PVP.

No abstract

No abstract

Density functional theory computational investigation was performed to study the electronic structures, muon sites, and the associated hyperfine interactions in [Au 25 (SR) 18 ] 0 and [Au 25 (SeR) 18 ] 0 where R is phenylethane. The calculated electronic structures show inhomogeneous spin density distribution and are also affected by different ligands. The two most stable muon sites near Au atoms in the thiolated system are MAu11 and MAu6. When the thiolate ligands were replaced by selenolate ligands, the lowest energy positions of muons moved to MAu6 and MAu5. Muons prefer to stop inside the Au12 icosahedral shell, away from the central Au and the staple motifs region. Muonium states at phenyl ring and S/Se atoms in the ligand were found to be stable and the Fermi contact fields are much larger as compared to the field experienced by muons near Au atoms.

No abstract