TENSILE PROPERTIES OF POLYURETHANE (PU) COMPOSITES BASED ON EPICHLOROHYDRIN MODIFIED OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH (EFB)

摘要

In this study, oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) was modified with epichlorohydrin. Reaction conditions such as temperature, time and solvent ratio were investigated. From the study of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, the epoxy group was present in the EFB after the modification. Epichlorohydrin modified EFB was then mixed with Methylenebisphenyl (isocyanate) (MDI) and Polyethylene Glycol M_w 200 (PEG 200) to produce EFB-PU composites and the tensile properties of the composites were measured. The tensile properties showed maximum value for composites with those modified with 8% WPG epichlorohyrin.