A PROPOSED STUDY OF ELECTRICITY GENERATING CHAIR FROM POLYPROPYLENE WASTE WITH THE AID OF SOLAR ENERGY

Abstract

The fundamental objective of this study is to convert polypropylene plastic waste into a chair with a mini locker and a comfortable backrest to diminish the amount of plastic waste in our community. This chair is heat-resistant, weather-resistant, acid-resistant, rot-proof, waterproof, termite-free, and can support a maximum weight capacity. This research also indicates utilizing waste energy, particularly sunlight and artificial light, to power devices and serve as backup energy during brownouts. This study utilized the qualitative-quantitative research design, purposive sampling technique, and a questionnaire as an instrument. The researchers conducted a survey of seven (7) STEM teachers and five (5) electrical engineers, which was validated by the researchers' adviser, expert, grammarian, and statistician. The employed statistical treatments of the data were frequency and percentage, weighted mean, and t-test. The subsequent procedures were undertaken by the researchers: preparing the materials, shredding, melting, and molding the plastic, cutting and assembling them based on the chair's structure, installing the solar panel, solar module, and USB module, and eventually testing the final product. Results emphasized that the level of acceptability of an electricity-generating chair made from polypropylene waste with the aid of solar energy is highly acceptable in terms of structural framework, methodological process, sturdiness, usability, and presentation, with no significant difference between the assessments of the two groups of respondents. STEM teachers obtained an overall weighted mean of 3.72, with a variance of 0.039, while electrical engineers acquired 3.58, with a variance of 0.446. The t-computed value is 0.460, and the t-critical value is 2.228. Therefore, this study accepts the null hypothesis. To further enhance the project, the respondents presented the following recommendations: polish the chair with resin, employ triboelectric energy as the product's energy source, provide solar charging details and a manual for the project, place the solar panel at the back of the chair, conduct a stress test, and assess the surface tension of the arm desk.