Recycled Polypropylene-Oil Palm Biomass: The Effect on Mechanical and Physical Properties

Abstract

In this study, 25-year-old oil palm biomass (OPB) fiber-polypropylene (PP) composites are prepared by five different fiber loadings (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%). The types of OPB used are oil palm empty fruit bunches, oil palm frond, and oil palm trunk. Transmission electron microscopy has confirmed that the cell wall structures of the various oil palm fibers have different cell wall thicknesses and exhibit the same ultrastructure as that of wood. The fibers consist of middle lamella, primary, and thick secondary walls with different thicknesses for different types of fibers. The secondary wall is differentiated into a S 1 layer, a unique multi-lamellae S 2 layer, and a S 3 layer. OPB fibers are compounded with PP using a Brabender DSK 42/7 twin screw extruder. The mechanical features such as tensile, flexural and impact properties of the OPB-PP composite are studied. The melt flow index (MFI) of the composite materials is also studied. Generally, the results show that lower fiber loading (10%) exhibits the highest tensile strength and MFI properties as compared to higher fiber loading (50%). Evidence of a fiber-matrix interphase is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy.

Effect of coir fiber loading on mechanical and morphological properties of oil palm fibers reinforced polypropylene composites

“…Natural fibers offer various advantages over synthetic fibers such as lower cost, light weight, lower specific weight, lower density, less abrasive in processing, lower energy requirements for processing, biodegradability, and wide availability . Oil palm fibers possess excellent specific properties with outstanding reinforcing fillers in the polymer matrix making it suitable as an alternative material for biocomposites, hybrid composites, pulp, and paper industries . Coir fiber is thick and coarse obtained from the husk of coconut palm tree ( Cocos nucifera ) fruit, which grow extensively in tropical countries .…”

Characteristics of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and mechanical properties of its unidirectional composites

“…Theoretically, based on the chemical structure of PP and OPEFB, there should be no chemical bonding between them. In addition, based on polarity, non‐polar PP, and polar OPEFB fibers have been shown to have insufficient adhesion . Tran et al also reported that PP has a low total surface energy (30.7 mJ/m 2 ) with small fraction of polar component.…”

“…Extensive research and development are required to solve the issues in disposal of oil palm biomass and convert them to valuable materials. A major research direction on oil palm biomass is utilization of the materials, especially OPEFB, as biomass‐filler in polymer composites to solve the disposal problem .…”

On the Renewable Polymers from Agro-industrial Biomass: A Mini Review

“…This is somewhat a waste of resources as there are numerous reports on plant biomass fibers being utilized for their excellent and outstanding properties. Among the usages include the reconditioning and converting the biomass into nanoparticles into reinforcing fillers in enzyme support and as renewable sources for making pulp and paper [5,9,10]. Plant fibers have been successfully re-fashioned into bio-composite and hybrid composites for the furniture industry, too [5,9,10].…”