Natural Fiber of Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (PEFB) Reinforced Epoxy Resin as Polymer Composites

Abstract

AbstractIn Malaysia, an abundance of PEFB of biomass waste with the amount of 23 million tonnes is produced annually in landfills. Malaysia’s oil palm sector has grown rapidly because of abundant oil palm biomass and cheap labor cost can be beneficial for bio-product production, thus promoting a green environment. The potential of PEFB as natural fiber for reinforcing materials into LDPE plastic waste to produce a deck panel has sustainable and environmentally friendly properties. The research presents the utilization of deck panels made from Palm Empty Fruit Bunches (PEFB) fiber mixed with Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) plastic waste to produce PEFB-LDPE polymer composites. The main objective of this study is to determine the optimum ratio of PEFB fiber mixed LDPE plastic waste to produce PEFB-LDPE polymer composites for deck panel application. To produce PEFB-LDPE polymer composites, the main objective is to determine the optimum ratio of PEFB fibers and LDPE plastic waste into polyurethane resin and hardeners. The preparation of the samples involved the process of grinding PEFB fibers into small particles sizes ranging from 1.30 to 1.50 mm. In the process of mixing at different ratios of PEFB fibers by weight of 0.0, 0.1, 0.2 0.3,0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 (wt/wt) mixed with a constant ratio of 0.2 LDPE plastic waste, the polyurethane resin binder and hardener resin (3:1). The samples of PEFB-LDPE polymer composites will be transferred to 200 mm × 200 mm aluminum by using the close-mold method at room temperature (24 ± 2 °C) for 24 h for the curing process. For tensile results, the ratio PEFB/epoxy resin of 0.3 produces higher tensile strength at 18.18 MPa with stress–strain at 3.28%. Similar to flexural results, the ratio of 0.3 PEFB/epoxy resin at 26.20 MPa. In terms of impact strength, 0.3 PEFB/epoxy resin shows the highest impact at 159.89 J/m with energy absorption at 10.10 kJ/m2. It is also supported by compression strength, 0.3 PEFB/epoxy resin reveals a high value at 12.59 MPa. In conclusion, the ratio of 0.3 PEFB/epoxy resin is the optimum composition to be applied to polymer composite applications.KeywordsPalm empty fruit bunches (PEFB)PolymerCompositeEpoxy resinEnergy recovery