Superheated Steam Treatment of Oil Palm Mesocarp Fiber Improved the Properties of Fiber-Polypropylene Biocomposite

BioResources

Wan Md Zin Wan Yunus¹  Hidayah Ariffin²  Yoshihito Shirai²  Nor Azowa Ibrahim³  Yoshito Ando⁴  Mohd Ali Hassan⁵  Noor Ida Amalina Ahamad Nordin⁵ 

[1] Japan;Malaysia;Department of Biological Functions and Engineering, Graduate School of Life Science and System Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, 2-4 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Fukuoka 808-0196, Japan;Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia;Universiti Putra Malaysia;

关键词: Superheated steam treatment;    Surface modification;    Fiber-matrix bond;    Biocomposite;    Mechanical properties;   

DOI  :  10.15376/biores.12.1.68-81

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The effect of fiber surface modification by superheated steam (SHS) treatment and fiber content (30 to 50 wt.%) was evaluated relative to the mechanical, morphology, thermal, and water absorption properties of oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF)/polypropylene (PP) biocomposites. SHS treatment of OPMF was conducted between 190 and 230 C for 1 h, then the SHS-treated fiber was subjected to melt-blending with PP for biocomposite production. The biocomposite prepared from SHS-OPMF treated at 210 C with 30 wt.% fiber loading resulted in SHS-OPMF/PP biocomposites with a tensile strength of 20.5 MPa, 25% higher than untreated-OPMF/PP biocomposites. A significant reduction of water absorption by 31% and an improved thermal stability by 8% at T5%degradation were also recorded. Scanning electron microscopy images of fractured SHS-OPMF/PP biocomposites exhibited less fiber pull-out, indicating that SHS treatment improved interfacial adhesion between fiber and PP. The results demonstrated SHS treatment is an effective surface modification method for biocomposite production.

【 授权许可】

Unknown