Properties of wood plastic composite using empty fruit bunch with different filler loading / Nurul Asmizah Mat Saat

The properties of wood plastic composite produced from empty fruit bunch were ascertained. The effects of different filler loading were determined. The raw materials used in this study were empty fruit bunch particle and polypropylene. Polypropylene (PP) was used as a binder and empty fruit bunch sawdust as a filler. 15%, 25%, 40% of sawdust and 85%, 75%, 60% of polypropylene has been chosen for this study. There was no MAPP addition in this research. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of three difference mixture of filler loading with polypropylene on mechanical and physical properties of wood plastic composite. The tests that are carried in this study were bending, tensile, thickness swelling and water absorption. The results obtained showed that the flexural modulus and tensile modulus decrease when the content of sawdust increased. The flexural strength and tensile strength increased when the content of polypropylene increased. Adding more sawdust in wood plastic composite will result increasing in percentage of water absorption and thickness swelling. So, more polypropylene in wood plastic composite can reduce the water absorption and thickness swelling in wood plastic composite. Water cannot easily absorb in the wood plastic composite. The properties for 15% of sawdust and 85% of polypropylene much better than other filler loading. So, it can used to produce the best quality of wood plastic composite in the future.