Preface

Every year, the student in Mara Junior Science College

must have a project that called thesis for School wide
Enrichment Model (SEM). This project can be done by
personal or group that have the same interest. So, Azraai,
Afiq, Azeef and I decide to do it by group because we can
find the chemistry between us.
First of all, we want to thank ourselves because of our
commitment in doing this project. Then, our mentor that is
Nurazila bt. Mohd Esmam, my cousin who is the 3rd years
student of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selangor. She is
the one who generate our idea for our project.

Abstract

a) Purpose of the experiment:

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  To determine whether aloe vera as a soap to be
used in daily life.

b) Procedures used:
 Melting the soap base and put the aloe vera
extract into it.
 Let it for a moment for it to hard.
c) Data:
 The result of making soap contain aloe vera is

positive.

d) Conclusions:
 So, the hypothesis can be accepted. The soap

containing aloe vera can be used.

Topic Selection

This is one the most difficult things about doing a thesis

project. So, we spent about 2 weeks to think about the topic
that we interest in it and easy to solve the problem in this
project. We decide to try making a soft board from coconut
husk fiber/coir. We named it ‘From Husk to Board’. We don’t
know if this kind of project has been done before, so we take
a risk for doing this project. Then, we imagine all the

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obstacles will come up and found that only an obstacle that
is how to bond the husk fiber and we found the way to bond
it. We use chemical substances but they give no result and
the experiment failed about five times. So, after a few
researches on internet, we found that we can use natural
latex as the alternative to bond the husk fiber so board will
produce.

Scientific Research
Problem Statement

The next step is to turn our topic into a problem

statement for the project. The problem statement is a
sentence or question that identifies the independent
(manipulative) variable and the dependent (responding)
variable.

Independent variable: the variable of factor that we decide

to change: the cause

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Dependent variable: the effect as a result of the independent
variable.

This is our problem statement:

1. To see the advantages of aloe vera in the soap.
2. To study the chemical contain in a soap.
3. Time taken to make a soap.
4. To investigate the method on how to make soap.
From the list of the problem statement we made, we
find that the number 4 is the most interesting, ‘to investigate
the method on how to make soap’ So we work together to
solve this problem.

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Scientific Research
Objective

1. To show and tell other people how to make soap.

2. Produce new soap

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Scientific Research
Hypothesis

After learning about the independent and dependent

variables, we will make an educated guess about how the
experiment will turn out. The hypothesis is one sentence that
states what we think the answer to the problem statement
will be based on what we learned in the research. The
sentence is what we expect the dependent variable (effect)
to be as a result of changing the independent variable
(cause).

1. It is hypothesized that the fiber from the coconut

husk/coir will result in making board.

2. It is hypothesized that there is a relationship between

the fiber from the coconut husk/coir and board.

Scientific Research
Variables

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 Independent variable is the variable of factor that we
decide to change the cause. While, dependent variable is the
effect as a result of the independent variable.

We just think about our topic and imagine a few

possible independent and dependent variables that we could
use.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Husk from rubber tree Quality board
Fiber from the coconut Board
husk/coir
Paddy husk Board

Now we choose one from each list that will work

together and that we find most interesting. It is the fiber
from the coconut husk/coir to make board.

Scientific Research
Apparatus

1. Latex glove
2. Piece of glass
3. Knife/cutter
4. Dropper

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Materials

1. Fiber (from the coconut husk)

2. Natural latex
3. 1.0 mol dm Ammonium chloride, NH Cl

4. 1.0 mol dm Urea-formaldehyde,

Scientific Research
Technique

This is the part where we determine what kind of

technique that suitable in making board. It is also the small
conclusion from the methodology/procedure.

We determine from the experiment that we made. And

this is our technique in making board;

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 1. Bond the fibers from the coconut husk/coir with natural

latex, ammonium chloride and urea-formaldehyde.

Then, compress with glass. Let it cool.

Scientific Research
Methodology & Procedure
1. First, separate the fiber from the coconut husk and put

it on a piece of glass.
2. Then, prepare the solution of natural latex, 1.0 mol dm

of Ammonium chloride, NH Cl and 1.0 mol dm Urea-

formaldehyde,
3. Pour the solution onto the fiber.

4. Wear latex glove and mix it so all part of fiber will

receive the same amount of solution.

5. Put another piece of glass on it to compress, so all the

fiber will bond together.

6. Let it cool for a moment.

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 7. After that, lift up the upper piece of glass.
8. Separate the product produced carefully to make sure it
will not break.
9. Then, cut it into square shaped and other useless parts

and the product is ready to use.

Scientific Research
Record & Analyze Data

The result showed that that the fiber from the coconut
husk/coir can make board by using solution of natural latex,
1.0 mol dm Ammonium chloride, NH Cl and 1.0 mol dm
Urea-formaldehyde,
The result is positive. Solution of natural latex,
ammonium chloride, and urea-formaldehyde can use to bond
up the fiber.

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Scientific Research
Conclusion

So, from this experiment we conclude there is nothing

impossible for this project. We find that the fiber from the
coconut husk/coir can be used to make board. The urea-
formaldehyde and ammonium chloride can use as the glue
for making board. Now, the hypothesis can be accepted. And
the problem statement has been solved. So, the experiment
is successful.

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What Is Fiber of Coconut Husk/Coir?

Coir fibers are found between the husk and the outer
shell of a coconut. The individual fiber cells are narrow and
hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose. They are pale
when immature but later become hardened and yellowed as
a layer of lignin is deposited on their walls. There are two
varieties of coir. Brown coir is harvested from fully ripened
coconuts. It is thick, strong and has high abrasion resistance.
It is typically used in mats, brushes and sacking. Mature
brown coir fibers contain more lignin and less cellulose than
fibers such as flax and cotton and so are stronger but less
flexible. They are made up of small threads, each about 1
mm long and 10 to 20 micrometres in diameter. Coconut
husks are made of bristle fiber (10%), mattress fiber (20%)
and coir dust and shorts or
wastes (70%).

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What Is Natural Latex ?

Latex refers generically to a stable dispersion

(emulsion) of polymer micro particles in an aqueous
medium. Latexes may be natural or synthetic. Latex as found
in nature is the milky sap of many plants that coagulates on
exposure to air. It is a complex emulsion in which proteins,
alkaloids, starches, sugars, oils, tannins, resins and gums are
found. In most plants, latex is white, but some have yellow,
orange, or scarlet latex.

The word is also used to refer to natural latex rubber;

particularly for non-vulcanized rubber.

What is Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) ?

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 Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) (also Sal Ammoniac,
salmiac, nushadir salt, zalmiak, sal armagnac, sal
armoniac, salmiakki, salmiak and salt armoniack) is, in
its pure form, a clear white water-soluble crystalline salt of
ammonia. The aqueous ammonium chloride solution is
mildly acidic.

Ammonium chloride is sold in blocks at hardware stores for

use in cleaning the tip of a soldering iron and can also be
included in solder as flux.

Other uses include a feed supplement for cattle, in hair

shampoo, in textile printing, in the glue that bonds
plywood, as an ingredient in nutritive media for yeast, in
cleaning products, and as cough medicine

What is Urea-formaldehyde ?

Urea-formaldehyde, also known as urea-methanal,

named so for its common synthesis pathway and overall
structure, is a transparent thermosetting resin or plastic,
made from urea and formaldehyde heated in the presence of

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a mild base such as ammonia or pyridine. These resins are
used in adhesives, finishes, MDF, and molded objects. Urea-
formaldehyde resin's attributes include high tensile strength,
flexural modulus and heat distortion temperature, low water
absorption, mould, high surface hardness, elongation at
break, and volume resistance.

Urea formaldehyde was commonly used when

producing electrical appliances casing i.e. desk lamps. It is
now mostly replaced by melamine resins. Urea-formaldehyde
foam insulation started being used in the 1950s. In the
1980s, concerns began to develop about the toxic
formaldehyde vapor emitted in the curing process, as well as
from the breakdown of old foam. Consequently, its use was
discontinued.

Source – Internet

Internet source

Title of article: Coir

Author(s): Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. (free encyclopedia)

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http:// address: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coir

Date of document or date downloaded: 25 January 2008 at

06.08

Two things learned from this source:

1. What fiber of coconut husk made of
2. The structure of coir fiber.

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