Effect of Fibre Size on the Tensile Properties of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fibre Composites

The principal aim of this project was to achieve a better understanding of the various parameters that contribute to the tensile properties. These parameters were manipulated in order to improve and produced PPnanoclay/ Polypropylene (PP) reinforced oil palm empty fruit bunch composite material (OPEFB). OPEFB fibre was treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in order to improve the tensile properties of the composites. Thus, in this study the oil palm empty fruit bunch fibres were used as a filler and PPnanoclay/ PP composite as the matrix material. Tensile test was used to assess the effect on the tensile strength and tensile modulus of OPEFB/PPnanoclay/PP composites. Morphologies of the composites were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The average tensile properties obtained were tensile strength 22 MPa at 180 µm and Young’s modulus 2120 MPa at 355 µm treated.