We study the heating energy of briquettes from cashew nut shell (CNS), cultivated in south Thailand. CNS briquettes (CNSB) were produced by mixing CNS powder with the cassava starch ratio 5:1w/w. A chemical component analysis of the CNSB was performed, and the heat utilization efficiency was compared with firewood charcoal. CNSB were found to have a fixed carbon content of 49.2%, ash content of 4.2% (750°C°C at 6 hours), and moisture content of 6.6% (105°C for 24 hours). It was observed that CNSB consists of energy consumption at 0.440-0.456 KW/kg and high compressive strength of 60.2 kg/cm2.The value of heat utilization efficiency obtained inside the fuel briquette of 18.01%, attributed to the burn rate average at 11.90 g/min. CNSB could be used to replace firewood and reduce cost for heating manufacturing processes.

In this study, the effects of heat treatment temperatures on structural and magnetic properties in MnFe2O4(MF)/SiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 (bioglass) bioactive glass ceramics were investigated. The MF/SiO2-Na2O-CaO-P2O5 bioactive glass ceramics were fabricated under various heat treatment temperatures in a range of 600-1000 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to characterize phase and microstructure. The magnetic properties were determined from Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The X-ray diffraction peaks presented two major crystalline phases: MnFe2O4 and Na2Ca2Si3O9. It was found that the heat treatment temperatures are the most influential parameter on microstructure and magnetic properties of the bioactive glass ceramics. The highest magnetic properties of studied ceramics were found in the sample heated at 1000 °C with adding 20 wt%. MF. The microstructural properties of the studies samples were investigated and the results were then correlated with the characteristics of heat treatment temperatures as well as the microstructure of the bioactive glass ceramic.

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Hot gas welding has been used in the process of polypropylene (PP) welding in many applications. It was appropriate for various multipart productions such as plastic constructions, automotive parts, tanks and pipeline. However, the surface properties of welded areas were varied particularly at each zone and thus affected numerous scratch resistances. The microstructure of scratch trace, hardness and scratch wear rate were studied by scanning electron microscope, hardness tester and scratch tester, respectively. From the results, it was found that the deformation of PP was induced with welding process. The scratch trace was showed that it related with decreasing of hardness properties.