This research aimed to assess the properties of biochar fuel produced using microwave-assisted carbonisation of oil palm trunk core (OPTC) biomass. Microwave-assisted carbonisation of OPTC was investigated under several sizes, temperatures and microwave power variables. The fuel properties of raw OPTC and biochar products were characterised by physical and chemical analyses. An open-ended coaxial probe method was used to measure the effect of frequency, moisture content and structural direction towards dielectric properties of OPTC. The result showed that raw OPTC contained high moisture content (~64.3%), low fixed carbon (~6.4%) and low calorific value (0.0046 GJkg-1). Dielectric constant of OPTC was found to decrease with the increasing of microwave frequency. Regardless of OPTC structural directions, an increasing pattern of dielectric constant and dielectric loss was detected with the increasing moisture content in biomass. The increasing of carbonisation temperatures resulted in d.....

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Anatomy and morphological characters were employed to identify four samples of Tacca sp. (Belimbing Tanah) from different localities in Perak. Anatomical characters including leaf epidermal characters, leaf venation, type of stomata and trichomes were investigated through transverse sections, epidermal peel and leaf clearing procedures. The outline and vascularization of the sections were also investigated. Result has shown that Tacca from four different localities in Perak were similar anatomically. However, morphologically these four species can be differentiated mostly based on their leaves, flowers and fruits. The leaf margins are slightly different of either entire or denticulate, and the colours of floral bracts are either purplish-black or purplish-black at the base gradually turns white to the apex. Eventhough they are slightly different morphologically, Tacca of Gunung Lang and Gunung Liang were suggested as T. chantrieri based on dichotomous key of Kalkman which emphasizes on.....

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