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Modification of oil palm empty fruit bunches with maleic anhydride: The effect on the tensile and dimensional stability properties of empty fruit bunch/polypropylene composites
Author(s) -
Rozman H. D.,
Saad M. J.,
Mohd Ishak Z. A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.11482
Subject(s) - ultimate tensile strength , polypropylene , maleic anhydride , composite material , materials science , absorption of water , swelling , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , scanning electron microscope , thermal stability , filler (materials) , polymer , chemistry , chemical engineering , copolymer , organic chemistry , engineering
Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB)‐filled polypropylene (PP) composites were produced. The EFB filler was chemically modified with maleic anhydride (MAH). The effects of the filler size and chemical modification of EFBs on the tensile and dimensional stability properties of EFB–PP composites were studied. The composites with MAH‐treated EFBs showed higher tensile strengths than those with untreated EFBs. This was attributed to the enhanced compatibility between the MAH‐treated EFBs and PP matrix, as shown in a scanning electron microscopy study. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed evidence of CC and CO bonds from MAH at 1630 and 1730 cm −1 , respectively. The MAH‐treated PP composites showed lower water absorption and thickness swelling than those with untreated EFBs. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 827–835, 2003