Clown Knifefish (Chitala rnate) scales/skins as Wire Insulator

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Copper conductor PVC cables are extensively used for domestic home appliances wiring due to its high tensile strength, superior conductivity, and ease of jointing. However, the continuous depleting of native populations of smaller species became a huge problem for the local fishermen in Laguna as various individuals affected condemn. Thus, there is a need to explore an alternative wayof reducing knifefish invasion with having a bio-friendly use in the community. The study determined the effectiveness of Clown Knifefish skin/scales as wire insulator compared to commercialized plastic wire insulator.

METHODS

The 5cm^2 by 4mm pre-treated fish scales, fish skin, and combined fish skin and scales, were produced after undergoing removal of non-collagenous protein of scales, extraction of collagen in pre-treated skin and filtration. Three setups were done and tested using multi-meter to determine its resistance and breakdown voltage. Since the data gathered was skewed, Multivariate Test for Variance was used. Kruskal-Wallis analysis of ranks was used to assess the hypothesis of the different samples that are drawn from the same or from distributions with the same median (He, 2017).

RESULTS

Results showed that the prepared Clown Knifefish skin had the highest mean of 3.6 A in terms of the current each sample can handle (Fish skin and scales= 2.8A; Fish scales=2.5A). While fish scales had the highest mean of 45.0 ohms in resistance (Fish skin=25.0 ohms; Fish skin and scales=35.0 ohms). In testing the highest voltage limit, fish skin had the highest mean that yielded 79.0 mV (Fish scales=39.0mV; Fish skin and scales=52mV). Comparing these result to the 5cm^2 commercialized PVC wire insulator that yielded 6A for current it can handle; 72mV in test for voltage limit; and 39 ohms in terms of resistance, the use of 0.368 as significant value makes the null hypothesis accepted since there is no significant difference in the breakdown voltage and resistance between the fish scales, fish skin, and combined fish skin and scales.

DISCUSSIONS

The study recommends to use a grinder machine in producing a more accurate product and to test it with high technology multi-tester to measure high amount voltage, current, and resistance of wire insulator. The study also recommends considering the temperature in preparing the collagenous part of the scales and skin, since a variety of collagens are sensitive to varying temperature.