Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites

The physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix composites with different fiber loading (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt%) have been studied. Two different type of chemical treatments namely oxidized sodium periodate oxidation and urea co...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Abu Saleh, Ahmed, M.A., Alam, A., Piee, M.R., Rahman, S., Hamdan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Tenaga Nasional 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/7/Studyofphysical.pdf
_version_ 1848834481337663488
author Abu Saleh, Ahmed
M.A., Alam
A., Piee
M.R., Rahman
S., Hamdan
author_facet Abu Saleh, Ahmed
M.A., Alam
A., Piee
M.R., Rahman
S., Hamdan
author_sort Abu Saleh, Ahmed
building UNIMAS Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix composites with different fiber loading (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt%) have been studied. Two different type of chemical treatments namely oxidized sodium periodate oxidation and urea coupling reaction has been used to improve the properties of the composites. In the current research, OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites were manufactured using high voltage hot compression technique. Scanning electron micrographs of the fractured surfaces were taken to study the fiber/matrix interface adhesion. Reduced fiber agglomeration and improved interfacial adhesion was observed under scanning electron microscope in the case of oxidized OPEFB fiber and improved the compatibility in the case of urea treated oxidized OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites. Tensile and flexural modulus significantly increased with fiber loading. However, tensile and flexural strength are found decreased beyond 25% by weight fiber loading. Effect of water absorption on the composites was also observed and it was found that oxidized OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites absorbed less water compared to raw and urea treated oxidized OPEFB fibers reinforced PP composites. Overall, chemically treated OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites showed better fiber/matrix interactions as observed from the good dispersion of fibers in the matrix system. Unlike the untreated OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites, all treated OPEFB fiber reinforced composites had the same tendency of increasing the mechanical properties of composites.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T05:52:40Z
format Article
id unimas-75
institution Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T05:52:40Z
publishDate 2010
publisher Universiti Tenaga Nasional
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling unimas-752021-04-28T14:54:27Z http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/ Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites Abu Saleh, Ahmed M.A., Alam A., Piee M.R., Rahman S., Hamdan TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery The physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix composites with different fiber loading (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt%) have been studied. Two different type of chemical treatments namely oxidized sodium periodate oxidation and urea coupling reaction has been used to improve the properties of the composites. In the current research, OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites were manufactured using high voltage hot compression technique. Scanning electron micrographs of the fractured surfaces were taken to study the fiber/matrix interface adhesion. Reduced fiber agglomeration and improved interfacial adhesion was observed under scanning electron microscope in the case of oxidized OPEFB fiber and improved the compatibility in the case of urea treated oxidized OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites. Tensile and flexural modulus significantly increased with fiber loading. However, tensile and flexural strength are found decreased beyond 25% by weight fiber loading. Effect of water absorption on the composites was also observed and it was found that oxidized OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites absorbed less water compared to raw and urea treated oxidized OPEFB fibers reinforced PP composites. Overall, chemically treated OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites showed better fiber/matrix interactions as observed from the good dispersion of fibers in the matrix system. Unlike the untreated OPEFB fiber reinforced PP composites, all treated OPEFB fiber reinforced composites had the same tendency of increasing the mechanical properties of composites. Universiti Tenaga Nasional 2010 Article PeerReviewed text en http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/7/Studyofphysical.pdf Abu Saleh, Ahmed and M.A., Alam and A., Piee and M.R., Rahman and S., Hamdan (2010) Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Journal of Energy & Environment, 2 (1). pp. 16-21. ISSN 0958305X http://journal.uniten.edu.my/ojs3/index.php/jee/article/view/268
spellingShingle TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
Abu Saleh, Ahmed
M.A., Alam
A., Piee
M.R., Rahman
S., Hamdan
Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
title Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
title_full Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
title_fullStr Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
title_full_unstemmed Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
title_short Study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
title_sort study of physical and mechanical properties of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber reinforced polypropylene composites
topic TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
url http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/
http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/75/7/Studyofphysical.pdf