Biocomposites reinforced with natural fibers: 2000–2010

Potential materials for food packaging from nanoclay/natural fibres filled hybrid composites

Oil palm fiber (OPF) and its composites: A review

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fiber treatment on both morphological and single fiber tensile strength of empty fruit bunch (EFB). EFB fiber was treated with boiling water, 2% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and combination both NaOH and boiling water. Fiber morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was further used to measure the amount and rate of change in the weight (weight loss) of treated fiber as a function of temperature. Based on the results of this work it seems that alkali treatment improved most of the fiber properties. NaOH treatment was found to alter the characteristic of the fiber surface topography as seen by the SEM. The thermal stability of NaOH treated and water boiling treated EFB fiber was found to be significantly higher than untreated fiber. The best results were obtained for alkali treated fiber where the tensile strength and Young’s modulus increased compared to untreated fibers. The overall results showed that alkali treatment on EFB fiber enhanced the tensile strength and thermal stability of the fiber samples.

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Effects of fiber treatment on morphology, tensile and thermogravimetric analysis of oil palm empty fruit bunches fibers

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials have emerged in a wide spectrum of area of the polymer science. The composite produced from these types of materials are low density, low cost, comparable specific properties, and most importantly they are environmental friendly. The composite materials produced from oil palm fibers and commercially available polymers have offered some specific properties that can be comparable to conventional synthetic fiber composite materials. However, these properties are greatly dependent on the compatibility of oil palm fibers and matrix phase with moisture absorption as one of the critical issues that becomes the drawbacks of the oil palm fiber polymer composite materials. Apparently, it greatly affects the physical as well as mechanical properties of the composite materials. The present review reports the work on oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber-reinforced polymer composites with some interest on the OPEFB physical structure, and chemical compositions. Finally, the incorporation of OPEFB into polymeric materials leads to several interesting consequences on the water absorption characteristics and the mechanical properties, which have been reviewed.

Marzuki Khalid

Papers

Comparative study of polypropylene composites reinforced with oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and oil palm derived cellulose

Evaluation of carbon based-supporting materials for developing form-stable organic phase change materials for thermal energy storage: A review