EFFECT OF OIL PALM FIBER REINFORCEMENT ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYSTYRENE

• Main Author: ZAINAL, HASNIZA
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS 2009
• Subjects: TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/9375/1/2009%20-Effect%20Of%20Oil%20Palm%20Fiber%20Reinforcement%20On%20Mechanical%20Properties%20Of%20Polystyrene.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/9375/

The effect on various mechanical properties of microstructures and physical properties of the polystyrene filled with different amount of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber were investigated. The polystyrene reinforced with palm oil fiber composites observed the variation of the mechanical properties. For treatment of the fiber, NaOH and distilled water were used to ensure that the fibers were disaffected from dust and contamination. The fibers were dried and powders of EFBF were compounded with polystyrene in a co-rotating twin screw compounder. The composites feedstocks were injection molded by the specific molding temperature and pressure to produce the dog bone shape test sample. The test samples were tested with the tensile testing machine according to the ASTM standard to test the elasticity and modulus of the new composites. The microstructures composition were observed using the SEM and showed the different of microstructure characterization. Scanning electron microscope micrographs showed that the particles dispersed in the matrix. This project was identifying the percentage of volume fraction of reinforcement and polymer matrix was affecting the properties of the composites polymer.