of the requirements for the Bachelor of

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Effects of Particle Size on Mechanical Properties of Oil Palm Fruit Bunch Composites

by

Mohd Roziee bin Y ahaya

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Mechanical Engineering)

JANUARY 2008

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS Bandar Seri Iskandar

31750 Tronoh Perak Darul Ridzuan

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CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL

Effects of Particle Size on Mechanical Properties of Oil Palm Fruit Bunch Composites

Approved by,

by

MOHD ROZIEE BIN Y AHA Y A

A project dissertation submitted to the Mechanical Engineering Programme

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (Hons) (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING)

(Dr. Puteri Sri Melor Megat Yusofi) Main Supervisor

Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS Tronoh, Perak

JANUARY 2008

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CERTIFICATION OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that I am responsible for the work submitted in this project, that the original work is my own except as specified in the references and acknowledgements, and that the original work contained herein have not been undertaken or done by unspecified sources or persons.

MOHD ROZIEE BIN Y AHA Y A

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ABSTRACT

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) reinforced composite is an emerging area in polymer technology. EFB is a low cost filler with low density, high specific properties as well as being nonabrasive. The objective of the work reported is to study the effect of particle size on mechanical properties (flexural and tensile properties) of EFB-polyethylene composites.

Three different particle sizes of EFB have been prepared using 0-150 Jlm, 150-300 Jlm, and 300-425 Jlm. Five formulations of varying content of EFB have been prepared for each filler sizes (0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%). Flexural and tensile test has been carried out to determine the mechanical properties of the composites.

For all three filler sizes, tensile strength decrease gradually with increase in EFB fiber content. However, both tensile and flexural modulus showed no significant improvement because the modulus had to be calculated manually and subjected to human error but there were part of tbe result showed considerable improvement.

Samples have also been subjected to microstructure observation using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From the morphology, it showed that the fiber and matrix interface is very low thus the stress concentration is high. Besides, irregular orientation of the fiber distribution have resulted small improvement of mechanical properties. Particle size is important to achieve good combination of mechanical properties.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In the name of Allah, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank everyone that has given me all the supports and guidance throughout the whole period of completing the final year project.

Firstly, I must also acknowledge the endless help and support received from my supervisor, Dr Puteri Sri Melor Megat Yusoffthroughout the whole period of completing the final year project. His guidance and advices are very much appreciated

Beside that, I would like to extend my thanks to the laboratory technicians, Mr.

Anuar, Mr. Shairul and Mr. Omar for help and assist me in conducting some of the experiments in the lab. Their continuous support and help throughout the whole period of experiments are very much appreciated.

I also to give a thousand of thank to the university and the Final Year Project coordinators that have coordinated and made the necessary help and guide.

Finally, thanks to my family for their support and all my fellow colleagues for their help and ideas throughout the completion of this study. Thank you very much.

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.4

. 5 .5 . 10 . I 0 .13 . 15 . 16 . 17

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CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY . .

3.1 Experimental Procedures ..

3.1.1 Materials.

3.1.2 Filler Preparations.

3.1.3 Sample Fabrications.

3.2 Testing Techniques.

3.2.1 Flexural Test.

3.2.2 Tensile Test.

3.2.3 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) ..

CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND DISCUSSION.

4.1 Mechanical properties ofHDPE filled with EFB.

4.1 SEM Micrograph .

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION.

REFERENCES.

APPENDICES.

. 19 . 19 . 19 . 19 . 21

. 21 . 21 .22 . 22

. 24 .24 .28

. 31

. 33

.35

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1: (a) Picture of empty Fruit Bunch (EFB); (b) EFB in fibrous form. . 2 Figure 2.1: MOR of various EFB-thermoplastic composites. . 6 Figure 2.2: Tensile strength ofEFB composites made from various thermoplastics. . 7 Figure 2.3: Impact strength ofEFB composites made from various thermoplastics.. . 7 Figure 2.4: Sample of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). . .11

Figure 2.5: Molecular structure of HDPE. .12

Figure 2.6: Endecotts Laboratory Test Sieve.. .14

Figure 2.7: Motion of Test Sieves. .14

Figure 2.8: Component of Basic Extruder Machine. . .15

Figure 2.9: Stress-strain Diagram. .16

Figure 2.10: Support Span Arrangement for Flexural Testing (ASTM D790). .17

Figure 3.1: SampleoftheEFB fiber.. .19

Figure 3.2: Leistritz Type Mio27/GI-32D Twin Screw Extruder. .20

Figure 3.3: Tat Ming ME20 III Injection Molding. .20

Figure 3.4: Lyold machine. . .21

Figure 3.5: Morphology ofEFB fillers (Magnification 600x). .23 Figure 4.1: Flexural strength of EFB-HDPE composites at varying ofEFB filler content. .25

Figure 4.2: Flexural modulus ofEFB-HDPE composites. .26

Figure 4.3: Tensile strength ofEFB-HDPE composites at varying ofEFB filler content. .27 Figure 4.4: Tensile modulus ofEFB-HDPE composites.

Figure 4.5: Morphology of20% EFB content for 150- 300 11m filler size.

Figure 4.6: Morphology of20% EFB content for 300- 425 J.lm filler size.

Figure 4.7: Morphology of20% EFB content for 425- 600 11m filler size.

28 .29 .30 .30 viii

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Figure A1: Oil Palm Fruit Bunch and Oil Palm Frond.

Figure A2; Mature Oil Palm Plantation.

Figure 81: Typical Extruder ..

Figure 01: Sample ofEFB fiber ready to be sieved ..

Figure 02: Sieve shaker is running. .

Figure E I: EFB-HDPE composites after compounding in extrusion machine.

Figure E2: Sample of 100% HOPE using injection molding.

Figure E3: Injection molding machine.

Figure E4: Tensile test for 100% HOPE using Lloyd machine.

Figure Fl: Graph obtained from flexural testing.

.36 .36 .37 .40 .40 .41 .41 .42 .42 .45

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1: Chemical constituents ofEFB fiber.

Table 1.2: Physical and Mechanical Properties of EFB fiber.

Table 2.1: Mechanical properties of EFB-HDPE Composites.

Table 2.2: Mechanical Properties ofHDPE . .

Table 4.1: Mechanical properties ofEFB-HDPE composites.

Table C I: Properties Comparison between LDPE and HDPE.

3 3 8 13

24

38

X

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ASTM

EFB

ESCR HDPE

MOR MWDs OPF OPT pp

PS

PVC SEM UTM

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

American Society for Testing and Materials Oil palm empty fruit bunch

Environmental stress crack resistance High-density polyethylene

Modulus of rupture

Molecular weight distributions Oil palm fronds

Oil palm trunk Polypropylene Polystyrene Polyvinylchloride

Scanning electron microscopy Universal Tensile Machine

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