Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Salihin bin Samsudin
Associate Professor
Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology
Universiti Malaysia Pahang
ahmadsalihin@ump.edu.my

NO	NAME	INSTITUTION	FACULTY/SCHOOL/ CENTRE/UNIT
1	Mohd Ikmar Nizam Bin Mohamad Isa	USIM	Faculty of Science and Technology
2	Izan Izwan Bin Misnon	UMP	Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology
3	Saifful Kamaluddin Bin Muzakir @ Lokman	UMP	Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology
4	Mohd Fakhrul Zamani Bin Abdul Kadir	UM	Centre of Science Foundation

2 years (15 August 2017 – 14 August 2019)

In the present research, the modification of cellulose derivative namely carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and doped with NH4Br based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) prepared via solution casting method is investigated. The FTIR analysis demonstrated the interaction between CMC-PVA and NH4Br via COO. The optimum ionic conductivity at ambient temperature is found to be 3.21 x 10-4 S/cm for the sample containing 20 wt.% NH4Br with the lowest percentage of crystallinity and total weight loss. The conductivity-temperature relationship for the entire SPEs system obeys to the Arrhenius behavior. The H+ transference number obtained using nonblocking reversible electrodes is 0.31, which further indicates that the conduction species is predominantly due to cationic conduction.

1. To develop polymer blend and polymer blend-ammonium salt electrolytes, the system consists of a different composition of carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol and ammonium salts.
2. To investigate the ionic conductivity and propose an ion conduction mechanism model in high and low frequencies at different temperatures via EIS fitting method.
3. To determine the favorable ionic transport properties which correlated to ionic conductivity, structural and thermal (structure-property relationship)of CMC/PVA polymer blend electrolytes system via de-convolution approach.

1. Talent:
   • 1 PHD
     1. Noor Saadiah Mohd Ali (Graduated)
   • 2 Master
     1. Nur Khalidah Binti Zainuddin (Graduated)
     2. Yushada Binti Abdullah (Graduated)
2. Publication:
   

   Target	Current
   8	11

   
   
   1. Article in Indexed Journals
      • Study on the effect of PEG in ionic transport for CMC-NH4Br-based solid polymer electrolyte (2018) - Web of Science (WoS)
      • Ionic transport properties of protonic conducting solid biopolymer electrolytes based on enhanced carboxymethyl cellulose - NH4Br with glycerol (2018) - Web of Science (WoS)
      • Ionic conduction study of enhanced amorphous solid bio-polymer electrolytes based carboxymethyl cellulose doped NH4Br (2018) - Web of Science (WoS)
      • An investigation on the abnormal trend of the conductivity properties of CMC/PVA-doped NH4Cl-based solid biopolymer electrolyte system (2018) - Web of Science (WoS)
      • Reducing crystallinity on thin film based CMC/PVA hybrid polymer for application as a host in polymer electrolytes (2019) - Web of Science (WoS)
      • Studies on ionics conduction properties of modification CMC-PVA based polymer blend electrolytes via impedance approach (2019) - Web of Science (WoS)
      • Characterization on conduction properties of carboxymethyl cellulose/kappa carrageenan blend-based polymer electrolyte system (2018) - Web of Science (WoS)
   2. Conference Proceedings
      • Electrical study on Carboxymethyl CellulosePolyvinyl alcohol based bio-polymer blend electrolytes (2018) - SCOPUS
      • Irregularities trend in electrical conductivity of CMC/PVA-NH4Cl based solid biopolymer electrolytes (2018) - SCOPUS
      • Study on ionic conduction of solid bio-polymer hybrid electrolytes based carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) doped NH4NO3 (2018) -SCOPUS
      • Electrical properties studies of solid polymer electrolytes membrane based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/kappa carrageenan blend (2018) - SCOPUS

• The Creation, Innovation, Technology and Research Exposition (CITREX) UMP (2019) – Gold Medal

The development of CMC/PVA degradable polymer blend electrolytes vertically aligned with smart green energy which inclusive of the creation of a network of energy technology to develop the research and support immediate commercialization of technology. The next technological breakthrough is expected to advance in the control of materials and interface. By introducing the waste to wealth concept with low cost in production, new ideas from the proposed research based carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol polymer blend electrolytes could be the main industry sector especially in the energy sector for the nation as a new source of income. Hence, plenty of job opportunities can be provided through the exploration of this technology. Moreover, the novelty and potentiality of the self-assembled natural based electrolytes will continue to attract the interest of researchers including graduate students at the respective institutions of higher education in Malaysia. The continuity in this field will meet the goal of research networking in order to carry out fundamental materials research, allowing the knowledge to be disseminated in the society through some outreach programs. Across the boundaries of academic disciplines, we materials researchers are urged to work vigorously towards a more sustainable future for our nation's progress and success.