Polystyrene-benzyolated EFB reinforced composites

• Published in: Advances and Challenges in Biocomposites: Proceedings of the 8th Pacific Rim Bio-Based Composites Symposium
• Main Authors: Sarani Zakaria, Lee, Kok Poh, Khairul Zaman M. Dahlan
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Forest Research Institute Malaysia 2006
• Subjects: ABONOS; CHLORIDES; CHLORURE; CLORUROS; ELAEIS GUINEENSIS; ENGRAIS; FERTILIZERS; MALAISIE; MALASIA; MALAYSIA; OIL PALMS; PALMAS OLEAGINOSAS; PALMIER OLEIFERE; POLIESTIRENO; POLYSTYRENE
• ISBN: 9832181879; 9789832181873

Reinforced thermoplastic generally are produced by incorporation of reinforcement agents or fillers into thermoplastic resins. The utilization of lignocellulosic material as filler with reinforcement in polymer matrix has received much interest due to it lower price and other properties. A composites of polystyrene reinforced with oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) and chemically treated EFB with benzoyl chloride (EFB- Benzoylated) as a function of loading and fiber surface modification were prepared. The chemically treated fibers were analyzed with FT-IR to observe the extent of chemical reaction with EFB fiber. The sharp peak at 710cm appeared on the spectra, which indicated that the mono-substituted benzene ring has taken place. The strong peak at 1720cm has indicated the presence of ester group treated fiber. The flexural test was performed using Instron 4301 testing machine to study flexural properties of the composites with various fiber size. The results showed that the flexural properties increased with particle size. The flexural strength of EFB-Benzyolated composites was observed to be stronger thatn untreated EFB fiber. SEM was used to investigate the morphological structure of the fiber surface, fiber pull out, fracture surface and fiber-matrix interface. The untreated EFB composites showed hole and fiber end, which indicated that most of the fiber have pulled out breaking during the fracture of composites, however, the treated EFB-Benzyolated showed a good adhesion between fiber and matrix.