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Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics

Volume 4 Issue 2

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Pressed Palm Oil Fruit

Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composite for Building Partition Panels
I C Ezema Ike-Eze 1*, N C Obiegbusi2, V S Aigbodion3, A D Omah4, S N Ude5, C A
Mgbemene6
1,2,3,4,5,6
Faculity
1,2,3,4,5
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, 6Department of Mechanical
Engineering,
1,2,3,4,5,6
University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria
Email: *[email protected]
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3368022

Abstract
The density, water absorption, and mechanical properties of the pressed palm oil fruit fiber
(PPOFF) epoxy composite were investigated. The fibers were matted randomly and
laminated with epoxy resin and hardener using hand-lay-up method. The result of the
analysis of the developed composite indicated that mass fraction of the PPOFF used in this
study was less than the threshold to effect increase in the tensile properties of the resin.
However, the properties increased with increase in the fiber content. Also, the density of the
composite decreased while the water absorption increased as the fiber content increases. The
XRD result indicated that the fibers has high crystallinity index indicating rich cellulose
content but the scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrograph revealed weakly bonded
fibers to the matrix due to the poor dispersion and wet-ability between the two phases. The
developed composite can be useful in building partition panels.

Keywords: Epoxy resin, mechanical properties, natural fiber, palm fruit fiber, XRD

INTRODUCTION automotive, building, transport and energy

Composites area unit the surprise material sectors. In recent years, many researchers
with light-weight; high strength-to-weight have developed natural fiber reinforced
magnitude relation and stiffness properties polymer composites using jute, sisal,
capable of substitution the standard bamboo, banana for various applications
materials like metals, wood, ceramics and [3]. Although the stiffness and strength of
plastics [1]. Every composite is unique and natural fibers are less than the synthetics
can be tailored to a specific engineering they have the following advantages; low
requirement by the simple selection of density, availability, high toughness,
matrix and the reinforcement in varying acceptable specific strength, non-irritating,
quantities. Fibers processed from agro- low cost and biodegradability.
waste materials such as banana, jute, coir
etc are currently playing this role of Wan and Rosnah [5] reported that oil palm
replacing synthetic fibers such as glass and industries generate at least 30 million tons
carbon fibers [2−4]. of lignocellulosic biomass annually in the
form of oil palm trunks (OPT), empty fruit
Natural fiber reinforced polymer bunches (EFB), oil palm fronds (OPF) and
composites (NFRPCs) have gained a palm fruit pressed fibers (PFPF). There are
worldwide acceptance as a potential serious and increased efforts by
substitute for glass filled composites over researchers in utilizing these oil palm
past few years especially in the
fibers in reinforcement of polymers [5-8]

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
Volume 4 Issue 2

for both domestic and industrial MATERIAL AND METHODS

applications. Mimi et-al [6] studied the Materials/Equipment
mechanical properties of oil palm fibre The palm fruit pressed fibers were sourced
reinforced epoxy composite for building from local palm fruit processing farmers.
short span bridge and discovered that the Epoxy resin, its hardener, release agent,
impact strength, tensile strength and fevicol adhesives were used as purchased
flexural modulus increased at 35% fiber from vendors. Wooden mould, masking
content, while the flexural strength tape, mixing bowel, turning tool, steel rule,
and beaker, weighing balance, spring
decreased.
balance, universal testing machine, X-ray
diffraction machine and Scanning electron
Ahmad [7] studied oil palm trunk fiber as microscope machine were used in this
a bio-waste resource for concrete work.
reinforcement and reported that the
compressive, tensile and flexural strength Production of Composite Test Specimen
properties of the concrete improved by the The fibers (Fig. 1a) were separated into
addition of 1% OPTF and the OPTF have strands and soaked in acetone for 72 hours
acted as crack arrester. Agrawal [8] to remove oil usually associated with it.
studied the effective thermal conductivity They were washed thoroughly with
of oil-palm fiber reinforced binary detergent and rinsed with clean water to
composites and reported that the effective remove any trace of oil and other dirts.
thermal conductivity (ETC) of the The fiber were dried under the sun for
composites was affected by the percentage several days until traces of moisture were
of fiber present in the composite and not seen. The fibers were matted in a
surface topology of the fiber and the random mat format. The composite were
theoretical thermal conductivity fitted well made by impregnation of the fibers with
the epoxy resin and hardener in mix ratio
with the experimental data obtained.
of 3:1. The composites were allowed to
cure under room tempertaure and
This paper is therefore a part of ongoing thereafter carefully demolded (Fig. 1b).
research on oil palm fruit fiber utilization The same procedure were performed with
aimed at investigating the effect of low all the different mass fraction of the matted
mass fraction of the pressed palm oil fruit fibers. The content of the palm fruit fibers
fibers on the physical, tensile, flexural, were varied 0, 5, 6, 7, and 8 wt%.
impact and morphological characteristics a
reinforced epoxy resin composite.

(a) (b)
Figure 1: (a) Press palm oil fruit fibers (b) Pressed palm oil fruit epoxy composites.

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
Volume 4 Issue 2

Tensile Strength Fiber and Composite Densities

Tensile testing was carried out according The experimental density of the composite
to the ASTM D3039 standard test method was obtained by measuring the mass and
for tensile properties of plastics. Samples the volume of the composite and
were tested using a manual griping calculated using equation 3.
universal testing machine model TUE- Mass
C100 with serial No 2010132 made by
C  .
Volume (3)
Fine Spavy Associates & Engineers Pvt.
Ltd. WIRAJ 416410 India using an While the theoretical density of the
approximate cross head speed of composite was obtained using the
5mm/min. following relations.
 c   f V f   mVm
(4)
Flexural Strength Where, Vf = volume fraction of the fiber,
The flexural strength testing was carried Vm = volume fraction of the fiber
out according to the ASTM D-790  f = density of the fiber,  m = density of
standard test methods for flexural
the matrix
properties of plastics. Samples were tested
using a manual griping universal testing
machine model TUE-C100 with serial No Water Absorption
In this test, the composites were cut to
2010132 made by Fine Spavy Associates
dimensions. Specimens were dried in an
& Engineers Pvt. Ltd. WIRAJ 416410
oven at 24°C and weighed (WO). They
India using an approximate cross head
were immersed in water for 24 hours and
speed of 5mm/min. The flexural strength
at the end of the immersion periods, the
(FS) was calculated using equation:
specimens were removed from the distilled
3PL
Fs  (1) water. The surface water was wiped off
2bh 2 using dry cloth and the wet weight (Wt)
recorded. The percentage of water
Impact Strength absorption (Mw) was calculated according
The impact test was conducted to measure ASTM D570 as follows.
the toughness of materials using Samuel Wt  WO
Demson Ltd Leeds LS102DE England SN- Ww  x100 (5)
WO
EXT94064/6705CE with an impact
velocity of 5.24m/s. The test was carried Where, Wt is the wet weight and Wo is the
out using a universal impact-testing dry weight of the samples
machine based on Charpy test method in
which a hammer like weight strikes a X-Ray Diffraction
specimen and the energy-to-break it Sisal fibers were cut to small pieces and
determined from the loss in the kinetic ground into powder of about 600µm. The
diffraction intensity was in the range 0 to
energy of the hammer. In Charpy test, the
specimens measuring 10mm x 55mm x 100o of 2 (Bragg angle) and the scanning
speed was 0.02o/sec.
4mm were given a 2mm notch of the ball
and the impact strength was calculated
Scanning Electron Microscope
from the relation of equation (2) in line
The morphological behavior of the
with the work of Abbas [9]
specimens was observed using scanning
Gc = U/A (J/m 2) (2)
electron microscope (SEM) equipment
Where, Gc = Impact strength, U= Energy
model-JOEL-JSM-6100 after sputter
of fracture in (Joule), A=cross section area coating the samples with gold for 45
in (m2). seconds in a JOELJFC-1200 fine coater at

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
Volume 4 Issue 2

a voltage of 12 kV. Micrographs were know the surface characteristics of

taken at various magnifications in order to specimens.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Table 1: Description of matrix and reinforcement proportion.
Wt % of Fiber (g) Wt % of epoxy Mass of epoxy
Code Mass of Fiber (g)
resin (g) resin (g)
A 0 100 o 331
B 5 95 16.44 317.85
C 6 94 19.73 311.27
D 7 93 23.02 307.98
E 8 92 26.30 304,70

Tensile Properties
Fig. 2 presents the tensile strength and the Young’s modulus against the variation of the
weight percentages of pressed palm oil fruit fiber (PPOFF) epoxy composite.

Figure 2: Variation of palm fruit fiber mass fraction on the tensile strength and modulus of
the composite.

From Fig. 2, it was observed that the loading, the strength of the reinforced
elastic strength and elastic modulus of composite will be much higher than the
unreinforced epoxy is much higher than unreinforced epoxy resin. Again, the fibers
that of reinforced epoxy composites. could not carry and transfer the applied
However, after the initial drop the strength load reasonably not only because of the
and the modulus continued to increase as quantity but also because their length is
the fiber content increases such that the small (chopped mat strands). In effect the
tensile properties for 8 wt% is higher than fiber length plays an important role in the
7wt% and much higher than 6wt% and mechanical performance of fiber
5wt%. The overall implication is that the reinforced composites [14].
reinforcement is not enough to cause
improvement in these properties over that Flexural Test
of the unreinforced. Consequently, it is The result of the flexural test of the
possible that a higher value of fibers PPOFF reinforced epoxy composite is as

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
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presented in Fig. 3. From the Fig. 3, it can tensile result of the composite, however as
be seen that the flexural strength of all the the flexural strength of the reinforced
reinforced composites are very much lower composites increased with increase in the
than that of unreinforced epoxy similar to the fiber loading.

Figure 3: Variation of palm fruit fiber mass fraction on the flexural strength of the
composite.

Again, the overall implication is that the Impact Strength

reinforcement is not enough to cause The result of the impact of the developed
improvement in the flexural property. PPOFF/epoxy composite is as presented in
Fig. 4. From the Fig. 4, it can be seen that the
Consequently, it is possible that in a
impact strength of all the reinforced
higher value of fibers loading, the composites are much higher than that of
flexural strength of the reinforced unreinforced epoxy and that the impact
composite will be much higher than the strength increased with increase in the fiber
unreinforced epoxy resin. loading.

Figure 4: Variation of palm fruit fiber mass fraction on the impact strength of the composite.

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
Volume 4 Issue 2

Density of the Composite the composite decreased as the fiber mass

From Fig. 5, it was observed that the fraction increases. This is a positive
theorical density is higher in value than the indication that the palm oil fruit fiber is a
experimental density. Again, it was good reinforcement in achieving light
observed that the experimental density of weight in polymer matrices.

Figure 5: Variation of palm fruit fiber mass fraction on the density of the composite.

Water Absorption polymer matrix is hydrophobic. Therefore,

From Fig. 6, it can be deduced that increase in water absorption due to
increase in fiber content caused an increase in fiber content has just followed
increase in the water absorption of the the normal trend mainly because pores
composite. This is because natural fibers were created, again because the fibers
are believed to be hydrophilic meaning were not surface treated to reject water
high affinity for water/moisture, while the intake.

Figure 6: Variation of palm fruit fiber mass fraction on the water absorption of the
composite.

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
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X-Ray Diffraction cellulose, [11, 12]. The crystalline peak data

The XRD graph for the untreated PPOF fiber is indicating 80% crystallinity, which is an
was presented in Fig. 7 which measures the indication of good cellulose content of the
percentage of crystalline fibers against the fibers while the remaining 20% indicates the
amorphous. The counter reading at peak semi-cellulose and/or the amorphous content
intensity at 22° is said to represent the of the fiber. It is only the cellulose content
crystalline material and peak intensity at 18° that contributes to the load bearing capacity
correspond to the amorphous material in the of the fiber.

Figure 7: X-ray Diffraction of the palm fruit fiber.

Micrograph of the Composites between epoxy matrix and the fibers while
The micrograph of the developed Fig. 8b clearly shows no presence of any
composite were presented in Fig. 8 (a, b, reinforcement. This is an indication of
c, d, e) for the unreinforced epoxy and weakly bonded fibers to the matrix. This
each incremental PPOFF additions suggests that the interface between the
respectively. From the images in Fig. fibers and the epoxy matrix was weak due
8b, it was observed that there were to the poor dispersion and wet-ability
distinct cluster of fibers and gaps between the two phases.

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
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(a) (b)

(c ) (d)

(e)
Figure 8: SEM images of (a) unreinforced epoxy matrix (b) 8g wt% palm oil fruit–epoxy
composite.( C) 6g wt% palm oil fruit–epoxy (d) 7g wt% palm oil fruit–epoxy (e) 5g wt% palm
oil fruit–epoxy

The gap and cluster increased with fiber the epoxy resin and the PPOFF bond. This
loading as can be seen in Fig. 8, c, d and may have resulted in the lower tensile and
8e, resulting in the segregation and clear flexural property values obtained. In this
weak interfacial bond connection between scenario the reinforcements may have

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 Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanics
Volume 4 Issue 2

acted as defects that initiate failure instead usefully applied as building partitions
of acting as reinforcement that resist panels in buildings.
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