UniMAP Makes History With Geopolymer Coating Test At UK's Rutherford Appleton Lab

KANGAR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) made history by successfully conducting geopolymer coating material tests at the international Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the United Kingdom, elevating local research to an international level.

Its deputy vice-chancellor, Prof Dr Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah said it was the first time geopolymer-based materials were tested in an international facility, which previously focused more on metal and alloy materials.

"This testing utilised Engin-X from ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (ISIS) equipment, a special beamline that uses neutron diffraction to study the engineering properties of materials created by scientist Dr Tung Lik Lee.

"It is an important achievement in strengthening the understanding of geopolymer materials in industrial applications," he said in a statement today.

Mohd Mustafa said the success of the testing was the result of research with UniMAP Associate Professor Dr Rafiza Abdul Razak contributing to Malaysia's research and innovation achievements on a global level.

"We are very grateful to have successfully conducted this test, providing a deeper understanding of the properties of geopolymer materials before applying them in the industry," he said.

He said the programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) through the Department of Higher Education (JPT) in collaboration with the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) of the United Kingdom, under the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) programme.

Mohd Mustafa also expressed gratitude to the MOHE and STFC for their support of local research, thereby opening more opportunities for Malaysian scientists to explore international-class technology.

"I hope this success will be a catalyst for more studies and innovations in the effort to bring Malaysia's advanced material technology to the global stage," he added.

-- BERNAMA