Composites of polypropylene and oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) were prepared by melt blending using ENGAGETM 7467 (polyolefin elastomer) as an impact modifier. ENGAGETM 7467 is a polyolefin elastomer. The mechanical properties and morphology of composites have been studied. Tensile tests showed that addition of ENGAGETM 7467 improved the elasticity of the composite, thus reducing the stiffness of the composites but no significant changes on tensile strength. The impact strength was also improved with the addition of ENGAGETM 7467, but no significant effect on flexural test was observed. This result indicates that the ENGAGETM 7467 forms a flexible interphase around the OPEFB particles, giving the composites better impact strength for both notched and unnotched samples without degrading the fiber and matrix interaction. The ENGAGETM 7467 composites characterized using Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy showed that there is no shifting of peaks, indicating that the addition of ENGAGETM 7467 does not affect the interaction between matrix and filler.
Rowell, R.M.Composites from Agri-based Resources (1996), In: Proceedings No. 7286 of the conference entitled ‘‘The Use of Recycled Wood and Paper in Building Applications’’, USDA Forest Services and the Forest Products Society, Madison, Wisconsin, pp. 217-222.
2.
Galloway, J.A. , Jeon, H.K., Bell, J.R. and Macosko, W. (2005). Block Copolymer Compatibilisation of Cocontinuous Polymer Blends, Polymer, 46: 183-191.
3.
Ohishi, H., Ikehara, T. and Nishi, T. ( 2001). Phase Morphologies and Mechanical Properties of High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) and Polycarbonate Blends Compatibilised with Polystyrene and Polyarylate Block Copolymer, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 80: 2347-2360.
4.
Katime, I., Quintana, J.R. and Price, C. ( 1995). Influence of the Microstructural Morphology on the Mechanical Properties of High-Impact Polystyrene, Materials Letters, 22: 297-301.
5.
Bucknall, C.B. (1989). Rubber-Modified Polymers , In: Allen, G., Bevington, J.C., Eastmond, G.C., Ledwith, A., Russo, S. and Sigwalt, P. (eds), Comprehensive Polymer Science, Vol. 10, pp. 27-47, Pergamon Press, Oxford.
6.
Wu, J., Guo, B., Chan, C.-M., Li, J. and Tang, H-S. ( 2001). Synergistic Toughening Effect of SBS and HDPE on the Fracture of the PS/HDPE/SBS Blends, Polymer, 42: 8857-8865.
7.
Wambeck, N. ( 1999). An Introduction to Refining Process for Palm Oil and Other Downstream Process, Journal of Agro System, 46: 251-272.
8.
Sreekala, M.S. , Kumaran, M.G. and Thomas, S. (1997). Oil Palm Fibres: Morphology, Chemical Composition, Surface Modification, and Mechanical Properties, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 66: 821-835.
9.
Rozman, H.D., Peng, G.B., Mohd Ishak, Z.A. ( 1998). The Effect of Compounding Technique on the Mechanical Properties of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch-Polypropylene Composite, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 70: 2647-2655.
10.
Rozman, H.D. , Ahmadhilmi, K.R. and Abubakar, A. (2004). Polyurethane (PU)-Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) Composites: The Effect of EFBG Reinforcement in Mat Form and Isocyanate Treatment on the Mechanical Properties, Polymer Testing, 23: 559-565.
11.
Basuli, U., Chaki, T.K. and Naskar, K. ( 2008). Influence of Engage Copolymer Type on the Properties of Engage /Silicone Rubber-Based Thermoplastic Dynamic Vulcanizates, Express Polymer Letters, 2: 846-854.
12.
Ghosh, P. and Dev, D. ( 1998). Effect of Graft Copolymerization of Mixtures of Acrylamide and Methyl Methacrylate on Mechanical Properties of Jute Fibres of Different Compositions, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 68: 1139-1147.
13.
Mubarak, A.K. , Idriss, A.K. and Basu, S.C. (1993). IR Studies of Wood Plastic Composites, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 49: 1547-1551.
14.
Yang, H.S., Kim, H.J., Son, J., Park, H.J., Lee, B.J. and Hwang, T.S. ( 2004). Rice-Husk Filled Polypropylene Composites; Mechanical and Morphological Study, Composite Structures, 63: 305-312.
15.
Doan, T.T.L, Gao, S.L. and Mader, E. ( 2006). Jute/Polypropylene Composites I. Effect of Matrix Modification , Composites Science and Technology, 66: 952-963.
16.
Thwe, M.M. and Liao, K. ( 2003). Durability of Bamboo-Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix Hybrid Composites, Composites Science and Technology, 63: 375-387.
17.
Ge, X.C. , Li, X.H. and Meng, Y.Z. (2004). Tensile Properties, Morphology and Thermal Behaviour of PVC Composites Containing Pine Flour and Bamboo Flour, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 93: 1804-1811.
18.
Oksman, K. and Clemons, C. ( 1998). Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Impact Modified Polypropylene-Wood Flour Composites, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 67: 1503-1513.
19.
Rozman, H.D. , Saad, M.J. and Mohd Ishak , Z.A. (2003). Flexural and Impact Properties of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB)-Polypropylene Composites - The Effect of Maleic Anhydride Chemical Modification of EFB, Polymer Testing, 23: 335-341.
20.
Thwe, M.M. and Liao K. ( 2002). Effects of Environmental Aging on the Mechanical Properties of Bamboo-Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix Hybrid Composites, Composites: Part A, 33: 43-52.
21.
Inoue, T. and Suzuki, T. ( 1995). Selective Crosslinking Reaction in Polymer Blends III. The Effects of the Crosslinking of Dispersed EPDM in Particles on the Impact Behaviour of PP/EPDM Blends, Journal of Applied Polymer Science , 56: 1113.
22.
Clemons, C. ( 1995). Exploratory Microscopic Investigation of Impacted Paper Fibre-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites, In: Proceedings of Wood Fibre-Plastic Composites- Virgin and Recycled Wood Fibre and Polymers for Composites, Forest Products Society, Madison, WI, 1-3 May, pp. 173-179.
23.
Nielsen, L.E. ( 1974). Mechanical Properties of Polymers and Composites, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 308-323.
24.
Stamhuis, J.E. (1984). Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Polypropylene Composite. Talc-Filled, Elastomer-Modified Polypropylene, Polymer Composites, 5: 202-207.
25.
Stamhuis, J.E. (1988). Mechanical Properties and Morphology of Polypropylene Composite (II). Effect of Polar Components in Talc-Filled Polypropylene, Polymer Composites, 9: 72-77.
