Inspiring! Thursina IIBS Students Reap a Harvest of Medals at KIIF and IIIF 2023

Thursina IIBS students, again, have won other prestigious competitions, bringing back double gold medals from the Kazakhstan International Innovation (KIIF). It was followed by the achievement of a silver and bronze medal in Indonesia International Innovation (IIIF) 2023 held by Global Youth Action (GYA) in the end of August (01/10).

Thursina IIBS team of high school won the first gold medal - they are Sadid Jundi Furqoni, Muhammad Khalilul Fathir, Ahmad Nabilil Aqilah, Raihan Naufal and Bima Ramadhan.  The concern about the long-term impact of using fossil energy encouraged them to innovate in utilizing new alternative energy. Their research discusses about new renewable energy sources combining solar panels and piezoelectrics.  “Actually, this idea is a development of existing solar panels. They cannot be optimal during the rainy season, therefore we develop a piezoelectric section under the solar panels by utilizing the pressure of rainwater as a source of electrical energy," said Sadid as a leader of the research team.

He, further, added that the working principle is deceptively simple technique. In hot weather, the solar cells work to produce an electric current. Meanwhile, during the rainy season, the piezoelectric device installed under the solar panel, works to produce electric current utilizing the pressure of rainwater fall.  "Through this tool, the energy produced can be maximized and efficient in both hot and rainy weather," he added.

For the technical innovation, the team of class XI has succeeded in bringing a gold medal from the KIIF event 2023 in the end of last July. Also, they has won a silver medal in the IIIF 2023 in the end of last August.

Another success from junior high school,  Thursina IIBS students triumphed in the KIIF 2023 a gold medal for research on the use of banana peels to make paper. The team - Muhammad Dhonan Chilmi, Alif Pirata Muhammad, Evan Dhaqi and Muhammad Yusuf Ibrahim Hermawan - carried out this research for the concern of the environment. The large number of banana peels in the boarding school area prompted them to use the organic waste to more useful products.

"From these abundant materials, we chopped them to make porridge and mixed with tapioca flour, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a bleach. "After mixed, they will be filtered to remove the water content following by the moulding stage for 3 days until it is completely dry," said Alif.

Research conducted by a group of class VIII shows that the basic material of banana peel paper has pH and grammage characteristics suitable for making paper.  They managed to win a gold medal in the KIIF 2023 for the creative innovation made from waste.

The achievement of silver medal in the IIIF 2023 completed this victory thanks to research on coconut shells as a raw material for batteries. This research was undertaken by Muhammad Syammil Abiy Syatir, Muhammad Gymnastiar Josivaneo, Muhammad Rafi Kalevi, Muhammad Imam Kayyis and Alfa Nafi. Syammil revealed that one of the latest innovations for battery raw materials is graphene oxide. "It can be found in coconut shells because it has a carbon structure with the potential for energy storage or batteries," he said.

Graphene oxide from burnt coconut shells (the ash) used as raw material for batteries. 

The special advantages of graphea oxide are light and environmentally friendly. However, in terms of manufacturing and cost, it is still relatively costly. The idea presented in the IIIF 2023, attended by hundreds of participants from various countries in Asia, has led the team to successfully win a silver medal.

Meanwhile, the coach, Ustadz Farhan Naufal Firdaus Al Fath, M.Si, revealed that  the students have had a strong desire to take part in the writing competition from the start. Besides critical mindset, the portfolios and achievements obtained could become provisions in the selection process in their destined universities in the future.

"Hopefully, the knowledge would benefit them and this achievement spreads enthusiasm for another accomplishment thus their juniors could follow their spirit to learn eagerly ," Ustadz Farhan completed.

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