Comparison of Water Uptake as Function of Surface Modification of Empty Fruit Bunch Oil Palm Fibres in PP Biocomposites

Abstract

Empty fruit bunch oil palm (EFBOP) fibres were surface modified by four different methods, propionylation, vinyltrimethoxy silanization, PPgMA dissolution modification, and PPgMA blending, and integrated into a polypropylene (PP) matrix. The designed biocomposites were subjected to an absorption process at different temperatures. Their water uptake behaviour was compared with the unmodified fibre biocomposites. An increased fibre content and temperature resulted in increased water uptake for all of the biocomposites. The biocomposites containing modified fibres showed a reduction in water uptake, rate of diffusion, sorption, and permeation in comparison with unmodified fibre composites. Comparing the 20 wt% fibre composites at ambient temperature, the performance in water absorption followed the sequence silanization < propionylation < PPgMA dissolution modification < PPgMA blending < no modification. Furthermore, the lowest water absorption was obtained from the silanized fibre/PP composite with 40% fibre content at ambient temperature. Dissolution or blending of PPgMA gave similar water uptake results. The reduction of diffusion, sorption, and permeation confirmed that the modification of fibres was potentially effective at resisting water penetration into the composites.

Lowering in water absorption capacity and mechanical degradation of sisal/epoxy composite by sodium bicarbonate treatment and PLA coating

“…It is clear that all the composites exhibit a Fickian diffusion, as the value of n is found close to 0.5. These findings are in agreement with the literature . The value of k gives an offer of the contact of water with composites .…”

“…Therefore, the lowest value of P c was seen for composite SC (T2) followed by composites SC (T1) and SC. The calculated values of water absorption kinetics parameters such as diffusion, corrected diffusion, sorption, and permeability coefficients for pure and modified sisal composites are summarized in Table …”

Thermal and mechanical properties of chemical modification on sugarcane bagasse mixed with polypropylene and recycle acrylonitrile butadiene rubber composite

“…In addition, the alkaline treatment can remove impurities from the surface of the filler and hence such roughening may produce an improvement in the wettability property with PP matrix. 8 Thus, the NaOH-treated composites had better adhesion than untreated composites. Hence, the results of tensile strength of NaOH-treated composites were found to be better than untreated composites and were supported by this testing.…”

“…Thus, alkaline treatment will directly affect the cellulosic fibril and degree of polymerization of lignin and hemicellulosic compounds. 7,8 It was found that alkaline treatment has two effects on the fiber: It is capable of increasing surface roughness and increases the number of possible reaction sites exposed on the fiber surface. There explains the reinforcement phenomenon of mechanical properties with NaOH-treated fiber.…”

“…There explains the reinforcement phenomenon of mechanical properties with NaOH-treated fiber. 3,[8][9][10] However, higher concentration of alkaline will undergo fiber degradation and delignification phenomenon. 11 Meanwhile, silane is a chemical compound that has a chemical formula of SiH 4 .…”