Physical and mechanical properties of composite boards based on wood fiber/oil palm kernel shell with different polyurethane composition

• Main Author: Zamri, Faizatul Azwa
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Composite materials; Polyurethanes
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/78377/1/FSPM%202016%209%20-IR.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/78377/

In Malaysia, the oil palm industry has brought significant impacts to the economy, social, geographical as well as the environment but the waste produced from palm oil production has become concerned. Palm kernel shell is an abundant residue produced from the oil palm processing. The possibility of utilizing palm kernel shell in the fiberboard could help to overcome the shortage of wood resources facing in the wood based industry. Therefore, a series of fiberboard samples have been fabricated using wood fiber/palm kernel shell at ratio of 100/0, 85/15, 75/25, and 65/35. The polyurethane adhesive was added at different percentage (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70%). The effect of polyurethane and palm kernel shell composition addition into the composite has been studied in terms of physical and mechanical properties. The results showed that the bulk density of the sample obtained was within the range of medium density fiberboard types. Generally, the hardness, tensile modulus, tensile strength, flexural modulus and flexural strength were increased with the increase of polyurethane adhesive percentage. The porosity, moisture content and water absorption also were improved with the increment of polyurethane percentage. The effects were also explained in terms of surface morphology. Besides that, 15% to 25% of palm kernel addition in the medium density fiberboard was increased its mechanical properties. However, low properties observed with further palm kernel shell addition. According to the Japanese Industrial standard, the sample met the JIS A 5905 for board type 5 except 85/15 and 75/25 of wood fiber/palm kernel shell composites using 20% of polyurethane addition. In addition, the percentage of moisture content meet minimum requirement of medium density fiberboard for decorative purpose.