This paper presents an alternative way to maximize the utilization of palm waste by implementing a green approach to modify lignocellulosic materials into a highly crystalline biographite. A bio-graphite structure was successfully synthesized by converting lignocellulosic materials via a simple method using palm kernel shell (PKS) as a carbon precursor. This involved the direct impregnation of a catalyst into raw material followed by a thermal treatment. The structural transformation of the carbon was observed to be significantly altered by employing different types of catalysts and varying thermal treatment temperatures. Both XRD and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the microstructural alteration occurred in the carbon structure of the sample prepared at 800 and 1000 °C using iron, nickel or the hybrid of iron-nickel catalysts. The XRD pattern revealed a high degree of graphitization for the sample prepared at 1000 °C, and it was evident that iron was the most active graphitization catalyst. The presence of an intensified peak was observed at 2θ = 26.5°, reflecting the formation of a highly ordered graphitic structure as a result of the interaction between the iron catalyst and the thermal treatment process at 1000 °C. The XRD observation was further supported by the Raman spectrum in which PKS-Fe1000 showed a lower defect structure associated with the presence of a significant amount of graphitic structure, as a low value of (I_d/I_g) ratio was reported. An HRTEM image showed a well-defined lattice fringe seen on the structure for PKS-Fe1000; meanwhile, a disordered microstructure was observed for the control sample, indicating that successful structural modification was achieved with the aid of the catalyst. Further analysis from BET found that the PKS-Fe1000 developed a surface area of 202.932 m2/g with a pore volume of 0.208 cm3/g. An overall successful modification from palm waste into graphitic material was achieved. Thus, this study will help those involved in waste management to evaluate the possibility of a sustainable process for the generation of graphite material from palm waste. It can be concluded that palm waste is a potential source of production for graphite material through the adoption of the proposed waste management process.

This current paper investigates the role of renewable energy, non-renewable energy and technology innovation in testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve in Malaysia by using the annual data over the time from 1980 to 2017. We applied the advance econometrics to serve the purpose of investigation and therefore used the Auto Regressive Distributed Lags bound testing approach for assessing the presence of long-run relationship between the variables. The results of ARDL bound testing approach confirm the valid long run relationship between renewable energy, non-renewable energy, technology innovation and economic growth with carbon dioxide emission in Malaysia. The empirical results indicate that renewable energy consumption and technology innovation have significant and negative impact on carbon dioxide emission whereas, the non-renewable energy consumption and economic growth have a significant and positive impact on carbon dioxide emission. Furthermore, results also confirm the existence of inverted U-Shape curve in Malaysia.Keywords: Sustainable energy, green technology, renewable energy, technological innovation, environmental Kuznets Curve, Malaysia.JEL Classifications: Q20, Q56, O31DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.7295

This paper focuses on the relationship between heat treatment temperature toward structural transformation from amorphous carbon to highly graphitic carbon material during a production stage.The following report discusses a simple strategy to convert the palm kernel shell (PKS) into highly crystalline, high quality graphite via simple two-step process. The production involves impregnation of catalyst followed by thermal treatment. Both XRD and Raman spectroscopy allowed the observation of microstructural change of the prepared sample at temperature ranging from 1000°C to 1400°C using Ferum catalyst. From XRD pattern it can be observed that as graphitization temperature increased, the degree of graphitization also increased. Overall sample prepared at higher temperature 1400°C shows a higher degree of graphitization. PKS sample graphitized at 1400°C with the aid of Ferum catalyst shows a sharp intensified peak at 2θ = 26.5° reflecting formation of highly crystalline graphite structure. Raman spectrum also suggests similar results to XRD in which PKS-1400 shows the presence of large amount of graphitic structure as the value of (Id/Ig) ratio is lower than in other samples. HRTEM analysis visibly shows define lattice fringe, which further confirms the structural transformation from amorphous to highly ordered graphitic carbon structure. Overall, good quality graphitic carbon structure from Palm Kernel shell was succesfully synthesised via utilization of PKS, Ferum catalsyt and heat treatment method.

The present research examines the effect of hydropower energy consumption in testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve in Malaysia by using the annual time series data over the period from 1978 to 2016. The present research applied the advance econometrics to serve the purpose of investigation and therefore used the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bound testing approach for assessing the presence of long-run relationship between the variables. The results of ARDL bound testing approach confirm the valid long run relationship between hydropower energy consumption and economic growth with carbon dioxide emission in Malaysia. The final outcomes confirm that hydropower energy consumption and square of economic growth have significant and negative impact on carbon dioxide emission whereas, the economic growth have a significant and positive impact on carbon dioxide emission. Furthermore, results also confirm the existence of inverted U-Shape curve in Malaysia. The results provide a solid evidence for the policymakers to focus on hydropower energy consumption while formulating the policy for the reduction of environmental degradation in Malaysia.Keywords: Hydropower, green energy, renewable energy, sustainable development.JEL Classifications: O11, Q20, Q23DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.7328