Physical and mechanical characterizations of oil palm fruit bunch fiber filled polypropylene composites

• Published in: Journal of reinforced plastics and composites 2010-11, Vol.29 (21), p.3173-3184
• Main Authors: Kalam, A., Berhan, MN, Ismail, H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Elongation; Exact sciences and technology; Fibers; Fillers; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fruits; Maleic anhydride; Palm; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymer matrix composites; Polypropylenes; Pulverized; Technology of polymers
• ISSN: 0731-6844; 1530-7964
• DOI: 10.1177/0731684410367963

Pulverized oil palm fruit bunch (OPFB) fiber was used as filler in Polypropylene (PP). Pulverized OPFB was added at various sizes (250 μm, 180 μm, 125 μm, and 100 μm) to study its effect on the physical and mechanical properties of OPFB filled PP. OPFB powder was mixed with polypropylene at 20 wt% and maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) was also added as coupling agent at 2 wt%. Water absorption behavior of composites followed the normal trend where the water uptake increases with the increasing of OPFB size due to its hydrophilic characteristic. The incorporation of OPFB also decreases the thermal stability of composites at initial stage. Tensile and flexural properties were enhanced with the addition of OPFB powder and further increased with the increase of OPFB size. Meanwhile elongation at break and impact strength were decreased with the increase of OPFB size. SEM observation on the fracture surface of tensile, flexural, and impact tested samples provide further understanding on the effect of OPFB as filler in the matrix.