Natural rubber is of significant economic importance owing to its excellent resilience, elasticity, abrasion and impact resistance. Despite that, natural rubber has been identified with some drawbacks such as low modulus and strength and therefore opens up the opportunity for adding a reinforcing agent. Apart from the conventional fillers such as silica, carbon black and lignocellulosic fibers, nanocellulose is also one of the ideal candidates. Nanocellulose is a promising filler with many excellent properties such as renewability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, reactive surface, low density, high specific surface area, high tensile and elastic modulus. However, it has some limitations in hydrophobicity, solubility and compatibility and therefore it is very difficult to achieve good dispersion and interfacial properties with the natural rubber matrix. Surface modification is often carried out to enhance the interfacial compatibilities between nanocellulose and natural rubber and to alleviate difficulties in dispersing them in polar solvents or polymers. This paper aims to highlight the different surface modification methods employed by several researchers in modifying nanocellulose and its reinforcement effects in the natural rubber matrix. The mechanism of the different surface medication methods has been discussed. The review also lists out the conventional filler that had been used as reinforcing agent for natural rubber. The challenges and future prospective has also been concluded in the last part of this review.

The design practice of timber structures in Malaysia is still based on permissible stress codes as stated in Malaysian Standard (MS) 544: Part 2 and MS 544: Part 3, which was adopted from the British Standard (BS) 5268. The British Standard was later completely replaced by Eurocode 5 (EC5) in 2009. Therefore, to preserve the continuity of design concepts specified in the British code of practice, local designers should adopt an EC5 limit state design to generate safe and economical designs. However, new strength data based on characteristic values which comply with EC5 for Malaysian tropical hardwoods are still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the compressive strength properties of nine structural-sized Malaysian tropical hardwood species namely Balau, Kempas, Kelat, Resak, Kapur, Keruing, Mengkulang, Light Red Meranti and Geronggang tested according to European Standard (EN) 408. A compression test was performed to measure the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of the timbers and were used to derive characteristic values. The equation for determining characteristic compressive strength given in EN 384 was also assessed to verify that whether it is suitable for high density Malaysian hardwoods, as this equation was derived from softwood and European hardwoods. The results revealed that the derived characteristic values are higher than the values given in EN 338 for the relevant strength classes, particularly for heavy and medium hardwood with densities greater than 700 kg/m³. A verification of the equation used in EN 384 to determine compressive strength characteristic value yields a different equation, $f_{c,0,k}=2.2 {\left(f_{m,k}\right)}^{0.7}$. This shows that the EN 384 equation is not suitable to be used with hardwood timber with a density more than 700 kg/m³, since it will underestimate the strength value.

Amidst challenges such as dwindling timber log supply from natural forests, concerns about timber quality, and rising timber costs, the timber industry has increasingly turned to engineered lumber solutions, including glued laminated timber (glulam) crafted from fast-growing species. However, the performance of glulam derived from plantation trees, notably swift-growing varieties like Laran, remains an area warranting exploration. This study addresses critical aspects of glulam production, encompassing adhesive selection, spread rate, and press pressure, which collectively influence material performance. The objectives of this research encompass an assessment of the bonding integrity of glulam originating from Laran plantation species and an evaluation of the optimal adhesive spread rate and press pressure for Laran-derived glulam. Various adhesive spread rates (200 g/m2, 250 g/m2, 350 g/m2 and 400 g/m2) and press pressures (0.7, 1.0 and 1.4 MPa), utilizing Phenol-Resorcinol Formaldehyde (PRF) adhesives, were systematically investigated in alignment with the guidelines stipulated in MS 758: 2020. Bonding integrity was evaluated via block shear and cyclic delamination tests. The study reveals that these parameters indeed exert a tangible influence on the bonding efficacy of PRF adhesive with Laran species. Remarkably, an optimal adhesive spread rate of 399.78 g/m2 and press pressure of 1.18 MPa emerged as pivotal thresholds for superior bonding outcomes. Notably, the significance of adeptly designed glulam beams within wooden structural frameworks is underscored, particularly in light of the multifaceted imperatives of sustainability, economics, and environmental conscientiousness.