EFFECT OF OIL PALM FIBER REINFORCEMENT ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYSTYRENE

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.