Characterization of composite boards made of oil palm trunk flour/maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate and characterize various properties of composite board prepared from oil palm tree flour (KK), maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene ( PPd-g-AM), divinyl benzene (DVB) and benzoil peroxide (BPO). The oil palm oil trunk was floured with a size of 80 mesh and dried in an oven so that the water content reaches 2% and then soaked in 3 % sodium hydroxide solution at room temperature for 24 hours. The flour was then filtered, washed repeatedly with water until free of sodium hydroxide . Flour of oil palm l tree flour that had been treated with sodium hydroxide solution was determined lignin levels and extractive substances. Furthermore, the oil palm tree flour was made into a composite board by blending of KK, PPd-g-AM, DVB and BPO in various compositions and casted at 170°C, 10 minutes and 40 bar pressure . The composite boards obtained were stored for 2 weeks and then characterized by physical properties (moisture content, density and thickness development), mechanical properties (MoR and MoE), and morphology. The results shown that the optimum composition of the composite boards was in the KK: PPd-g-AM: DVB: BPO (60: 24: 8: 2%) or KK33