Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

Wire and cables are of essential use for power transmission and

communication. D and F Liquidators (2017) said that cables’ paramount

importance ensures a smooth electricity supply, as well as passing electrical

inspections. However, with the arising issues of their manageability and the

development of wireless equipments, the future of copper wiring is in doubt.

In view of this concern, electrical tools have questioned safety, space,

power, and maintenance (Root, n.d.). Cables can be damaged by cleaning,

mislaid wires can cause tripping hazards, and their multiple components require

more desktop space. During stormy weather, electrical problems such as a utility-

wire cut can cause disturbance to work, productivity, and customer service

(Acevedo, n.d). For this reason, the Philippine government has proclaimed an

order concerning electrical safety with the advocacy of the Institute of Integrated

Electrical Engineers due to the increasing number of incidents related to faulty

electrical wiring (Leoncio, 2014).

Network cables are prone to getting pulled, stepped on and bent, which

can cause damage and prevent people from working properly (Root, n.d.).

Accorfing to World Health Organization (2017), network cables create failures for

a variety of reasons which are sometimes difficult to diagnose, the amount of

their waste produced each day is also growing. Such is called “e-waste”, which

refers to electrical and electronic equipment of any kind that has been discarded.
E-waste is mostly made up of metal and plastic components, but also contains

small amounts of heavy metals and substances of concern (“E-waste Recycling”,

n.d.).

Produced in staggering quantities, this waste is estimated globally to be

41.8 million tons in 2014 (Heacock et al. 2016). This amount is increasing rapidly

and is compounded by both illegal exportation and inappropriate donation of

electronic equipment, especially computers, from developed to developing

countries. As little as 25% of e-waste is recycled in formal recycling centers with

adequate worker protection. The health consequences of both direct exposures

during recycling and indirect exposures through environmental contamination are

potentially severe (Perkins, Drisse, Nxele, & Sly, 2014).

To address these concerns, several researches have been conducted to

create conductive substances in substitution and/or replacement for these

electrical tools. Among these are conductive paint and ink using conductivity of

kilo- to nanoparticles of silver, copper, and graphite. In this study, the

researchers tried to use the potential conductive property of the carbon black of

tuna (Thunnus albacares) skeleton as the major component in the production of

electric paint. Since the resource is abundant in the locality, this study aimed to

reuse tuna bones for economical purposes despite being an industrial and

consumer waste.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the:

1. Amount of calcium and copper present in the electric paint;
2. Potential of electric paint with the carbon black present;

3. Resistivity of the electric paint.

Significance of the Study

Conductive substances are particularly promising because their liquid and

solid forms suggest portability and can be put in different surfaces such as

papers and metals while being non-toxic, non-irritant, metal-free, and solvent-free

(Kenworthy, 2017). Results of a research study suggest that partial replacement

of silver particles by low-cost carbon black in electrically conductive paint was

found to be more conductive and more scratch resistant which is ready for use in

electrical interconnections (Leong and Chung, 2006).

The use of conductive paint by carbon is an environmentally sound and

effective means of accessing electricity (Kenworthy & Thibodeaux, 2017).

Technology developers- Modern technology requires wires for its whole

functionality. While copper wires depend great amounts of insulators and

expense, electric paint can be used as a replacement to redesign tools and

devices in terms of their circuit design and conductivity. The portability of these

substances can help developers and innovators create conductivity of devices

that are safer and effective.

Technology users- The utilization of gadgets and appliances in the day-

to-day life as a modern necessity can be made easier for users. While network

cables are prone to getting pulled, stepped on and bent, which can cause

damage and prevent people from working properly (Root, n.d.), electric paint can

be the proper tools to alleviate these hazards.

 Industry- Using tuna skeleton carbon black as the major component

electric paint might reduce the cost of industrial marketing and help improve the

local tuna industry in general. It also introduces tuna refuse for new economical

purposes.

Environment- The use of tuna carbon black electric paint can eventually

alleviate electrical and electronic wastes (Kenworthy & Thibodeaux, 2017) by

replacing DC wires. The process of recycling of tuna bones can also reduce

industrial waste through reutilization.

Scope and Delimitation

The study was focused on determining the electrical conductivity of tuna

skeletal carbon. The study was conducted from April 3 to 20, 2018 at Notre

Dame of Marbel University Chemistry Laboratory and Davao Analytical

Laboratory.

The conductivity potential of tuna skeletal carbons was tested as an

electric paint in a circuit setup which consists a 9-volt electrical power source and

an LED bulb on a sheet of paper. Only yellow fin tuna backbones were used in

this study.

Operational Definition of Terms

For better understanding of the study, the following terms are defined

operationally:

Bone Char- It is a product obtained from the calcinations of bovine bones

at high temperatures in the absence of air (Waste Management for the Food
Industries, 2008). In this study, granular material will be produced by charring

tuna bones in an oxygen-depleted atmosphere and will be heated at high

temperature.

Carbon Black- This pertains to a group of industrial products involving

thermal, furnace, channel and acetylene blacks essentially consisting elemental

carbon in the form of near spherical particles of colloidal size. They are obtained

by the partial combustion or thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons (Donnet,

1993). The carbon black derived from tuna skeleton after it is heated at high

temperatures for several minutes is the main component for the conductivity of

the produced electric paint.

Conductivity- It is the reciprocal of resistivity which refers to the direct

electrical analog of thermal conductivity (Young & Freedman, 2012). In this

study, the degree to which the tuna electric paint conducts electricity is

determined by the electrical conductivity test.

DC power- Direct current (DC) power refers to the electrical power of the

continuous or uninterrupted unidirectional flow of charged particles for at least

one second (Robinson, 2008). The direct current of the simple electrical circuit in

the study is produced by a fixed-magnitude voltage applied to tuna electric paint,

which has a fixed resistance.

Electric Paint- This term pertains to a form of liquid wiring applied to

almost any surface, including paper, plastic, metal and fabric that has the

appearance and consistency of runny marmite, but dries quickly when exposed
to the air (McNicoll & Blendis, 2013). It is the output of the study which is an acid-

based dispersion of carbon pigment in resin intended for use with low voltage DC

power sources at low currents.

Electrical Properties- They are the properties of a material that

determine its ability to be suitable for a particular electrical engineering

application such as electric and thermal conductivity, resistivity and mechanical

and thermoelectric properties (Drapala, 2014). In the study, this term refers to the

current, resistance, and voltage possessed by the tuna skeleton electric paint as

determined.

Fixed Carbon- It is the remaining carbon in coal after combustion

(Kentucky Geological Survey, 2017). The amount of carbon in tuna bone char will

be determined through proximate analysis.

Proximate Analysis- It is an analysis which reports volatile matter, fixed

carbon, moisture content, and ash present in a coal (Oregon Department of

Energy, 2016). In this study, this term refers to the amount of volatile matter and

fixed carbon present in the tuna bone char.

Pyrolysis- It is a charring process with no or very limited access to

oxygen (Purevsuren et. al, 2017). In the organic phase the tuna bone is

converted into inorganic carbon, which makes this bone char black whatever

charring temperature is used.

Resistance- It is the ratio of the potential difference to the electric current

for a particular conductor (Young & Freedman, 2012). The collisions of tuna
carbon black atoms opposes the flow of charge. This was measured in the study

in units of ohms or Ω.

Skeleton- This pertains to the parts of the skeletal system that has three

different designs, namely the hydrostatic skeleton, exoskeleton, and

endoskeleton (Rye et al. 2016). In the study, this term refers only to the

backbones of tuna from which carbon particles will be produced and assessed

for its electric potential.

Tuna- It is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgroup

of the mackerel family which occurs in every tropical ocean (Graham and

Dickson, 2004). As the industrial fish product of General Santos City, it is locally

known as “bariles” or “barileson”. The yellowfin tuna’s skeleton is the specimen

being studied in the production of electric paint.

Volatile Matter- This pertains to the compounds that will be converted to

gas in coal during combustion (Kentucky Geological Survey, 2017). The amount

of volatile matter in tuna bone char will be determined through proximate

analysis.

Wires and Cables- This refers to the strands of or wound copper that

come in many forms for the use of transmitting electricity or electrical signals

(Whelan & Kornrumpf, 2014). Their function as conductors is what the tuna

skeleton electric paint aims to emulate.