Judul: Pengaruh Radiasi Gamma pada Sifat Mekanik dan Termal Komposit UHMWPE-HAp untuk Tibial Tray
Abstrak: Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is commonly used as a bearing material (tibial tray) on artificial knee joint. Wearing of UHMWPE is a major problem in using it as tibial tray, thus we need to modify UHMWPE to enhance the mechanical strength. The objectives of this research are preparing composites of UHMWPE-HAp by mechanical alloying and hot press method as the raw materials for tibial tray and modifying mechanical and thermal properties of composites using gamma rays. The composites were prepared using various HAp loading ratios at 5, 10, and 15%. The composite films were irradiated using gamma rays at doses of 0, 25, 50, and 75 kGy. The effect of HAp loaded and gamma radiation on mechanical and thermal properties of materials were studied by various methods (hardness test, tensile test, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry). The results showed that the addition of HAp could enhance the hardness of UHMWPE by 8-15% and enhanced the maximum stress up to 38%. Gamma irradiation could enhance the crystallinity by 113-172%, melting point by 0,6-0,7%, and decrease break elongation of composites by 23-48%.
Keyword: UHMWPE-HAp composites, tibial tray, thermal properties, mechanical properties, gamma radiation

Judul: Gamma Ray Irradiation on UHMWPE and HDPE to Increase Tibial Tray Mechanical Properties
Abstrak: Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a polymer that is widely used in the manufacture of tibial tray, but it is very expensive. Therefore, high density polyethylene (HDPE) was developed for the manufacturing of tibial tray because the price is lower and has similar properties to UHMWPE. HDPE was made by two methods, namely hot pressing method and heating method, but UHMWPE wass made only by hot pressing method. Tibial tray film of HDPE and UHMWPE from both methods were irradiated with various doses of gamma rays 0, 100, 200, 300 and 500 kGy. The polymers were analyzed for surface microstructure, hardness , tensile strength, elongation at break percentage, and degree of crystallinity. The higher the dose of irradiation the higher the hardness and the degree of crystallinity, but not for the tensile strength and elongation at break percentage. Both polymers were not able to increase mechanical properties in those irradiation doses range because crosslink formation is inhibited by the presence of oxygen that causes chain scission. HDPE hardness enhancement by hot pressing method was close to
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Judul: Populasi dan Habitat Kakatua-Kecil Jambul-Kuning di Bentang Alam Mbeliling Bagian Barat, Kabupaten Manggarai Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur
Abstrak: Cacatua sulphurea parvula or yellow-crested cockatoo were spread distributed at Sunda Kecil Archipelago, Nusa Tenggara, except at Sumba Island. This species amount in the nature is very small, caused by the illegal hunting and trading. The purpose of this research is to get the information about population and habitat of the cockatoo in Flores, especially at the western part of Mbeliling Landscape. Cocatoo census was conducted by look-down method at vantage points when cockatoo flew passed by. Habitat analysis was carried out with vegetation analysis. The census showed that there were two groups of cockatoo, consisted of 69 cockatoos in Tao hill and 15 cockatoos in Nggoer River. Flight pattern of each group ranged 0-100 meters above the sea level and crossed mangrove forest, savanna, monsoon forest and cultivation plant vegetation. The vegetation analysis resulted Ceiba petandra or silk-cotton tree as the tree that most used by cockatoo and had the highest TIV (Tree Importance Value), 47,48%. Cockatoo’s foods which observed were crown flower (Calotropis gigantea), and Moringa olifera. The population of Cockatoo which observed at western part of Mbeliling Landscape was estimated came from Rinca Island, Komodo National Park. It can be concluded that the location might be only used by rhe cockatoo came from Rinca Island as their daily exploration area for foraging.
Keyword: habitat., ecology, population, Flores, Cacatua sulphurea parvula