14
UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM ITMA 2012 5 PHYSICAL AND THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM ASH- FILLED UNSATURATED POLYESTER COMPOSITES
UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM
ITMA 2012 5
PHYSICAL AND THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM ASH-FILLED UNSATURATED POLYESTER COMPOSITES
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
PHYSICAL AND THERMOMECHANICAL
PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM ASH-FILLED
UNSATURATED POLYESTER COMPOSITES
MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM
MASTER OF SCIENCE
UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA
2012
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
PHYSICAL AND THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM
ASH-FILLED UNSATURATED POLYESTER COMPOSITES
By
MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM
Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
in Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science
January 2012
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
i
DEDICATION
For all your advice and encouragements, this thesis is gratefully dedicated to my
beloved parent, family and friends. Thank you very much for your continuous supports
and efforts towards completion of this thesis.
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
ii
Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia in fulfilment of
the requirement for the degree of Master of Science
PHYSICAL AND THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF OIL PALM ASH
FILLED-UNSATURATED POLYESTER COMPOSITES
By
MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM
January 2012
Chairman : Mohd Sapuan Salit, PhD, P.Eng.
Faculty : Institute of Advanced Technology
The main advantages of the oil palm ash are its availability at abundance, no cost
material, high aspect ratio and good performance in high thermal condition. This
research investigates the physical characteristics of oil palm ash filler and the effects of
filler contents on mechanical and thermal properties of oil palm ash filled unsaturated
polyester composite (UP/OPA). The composite specimens made of different filler
contents of 0, 10, 20 and 30% of oil palm ash were prepared. All of these composites
were fabricated using a conventional hand lay up technique. The mechanical tests such
as tensile and flexural were carried out in according with American Society of Testing
Material D 5083 and American Society of Testing Material D 790 standards
respectively. Scanning electron microscope was used to study the surface morphology of
UP/OPA composites of the fractured surface for tensile and flexural tests. The results of
the experiments showed that the increasing of filler contents i.e. 0, 10, 20 and 30% of oil
palm ash had significant effects on reduction of tensile strength (26.8MPa, 21MPa,
17MPa and 13MPa); flexural strength (88.48MPa, 78.17MPa, 71.70MPa and 62.5MPa)
and elongation at break (5.55%, 3.11%, 2.52% and 2.36%); and increase of tensile
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
iii
modulus (3.75MPa, 3.9MPa, 4.35MPa and 4.99MPa) and flexural modulus (200MPa,
214MPa, 222MPa and 233MPa) of the UP/OPA composites respectively. Investigation
on thermal properties of UP/OPA composite involved thermogravimetric analysis
(TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) in order to investigate temperatures
at maximum mass loss and to determine glass transition temperature (Tg) of the UP/OPA
composites. The results have shown that increasing of filler contents i.e. 0, 10, 20 and
30% of oil palm ash for UP/OPA composites had improved their thermal stability
because their initial decomposition of temperatures at 5% mass loss were increased
293.55, 356.64, 375.59 and 401.72°C respectively, temperatures at maximum mass loss
were also increased 436.64, 460.90, 468.01 and 476.23°C respectively and glass
transition temperatures slightly increased from 185.4 to 191°C with the additions of
fillers for up to 30%.
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
iv
Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia sebagai
memenuhi keperluan untuk ijazah Master Sains
SIFAT FIZIKAL DAN TERMOMEKANIKAL KOMPOSIT POLIESTER TAK
TEPU DIISI-SERBUK ABU KELAPA SAWIT
Oleh
MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM
Januari 2012
Pengerusi : Mohd Sapuan Salit, PhD, P.Eng.
Fakulti : Institut Teknologi Maju
Antara manafaat yang utama serbuk abu kelapa sawit adalah mudah diperoleh secara
pukal, tanpa kos, nisbah aspek yang tinggi dan berfungsi dengan baik pada keadaan
termal yang tinggi.
Penyelidikan ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji ciri-ciri fizikal serbuk abu kelapa sawit dan
kesan-kesan kandungan pengisi ke atas sifat-sifat mekanikal dan termal bagi bahan
komposit poliester tak tepu diiisi serbuk abu kelapa sawit (UP/OPA). Bahan ujikaji
komposit yang disediakan menggunakan pengisi serbuk abu kelapa sawit pada peratusan
kandungan berat yang berlainan iaitu 0, 10, 20 dan 30%. Semua bahan ujikaji disediakan
menggunakan kaedah konvensional lapisan tangan. Ujian-ujian mekanikal seperti
regangan dan lenturan dilakukan berpandukan kepada piawaian ASTM D 5083 dan
ASTM D 790 mengikut turutan. Ujian pegesanan mikroskop adalah untuk mengkaji
morfologi permukaan bahan komposit ujikaji yang telah melalui ujian regangan dan
lenturan. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan peningkatan kandungan pengisi OPA iaitu 0%,
10%, 20% dan 30% memberikan kesan yang signifikan terhadap penurunan kekuatan
tegangan (26.8MPa, 21MPa, 17MPa dan 13MPa), kekuatan lenturan (88.48MPa,
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
v
78.17MPa, 71.70MPa dan 62.5MPa) dan pemanjangan pada takat putus (5.55%, 3.11%,
2.52% dan 2.36%), serta meningkatkan modulus tegangan (3.75MPa, 3.9MPa, 4.35MPa
dan 4.99MPa) dan modulus lenturan komposit (200MPa, 214MPa, 222MPa and
233MPa) komposit UP/OPA mengikut turutan. Penelitian ke atas sifat-sifat termal
bahan komposit UP/OPA adalah berkaitan analisis termogravimetri dan pengesanan
perbezaan kalorimetri dalam menentukan suhu maksimum kehilangan berat termal dan
juga untuk menentukan suhu peralihan kaca bahan komposit UP/OPA. Keputusan ujian
menunjukkan bahawa peningkatan kandungan pengisi iaitu 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%
bagi komposit UP/OPA telah meningkatkan kestabilan termal kerana suhu permulaan
kehilangan berat 5% telah meningkat 293.55, 356.64, 375.59 dan 401.72°C mengikut
turutan, suhu kehilangan berat maksimum juga meningkat 436.64, 460.90, 468.01 dan
476.23°C mengikut turutan dan suhu peralihan kaca meningkat sedikit daripada 185.4
hingga 191°C setiap penambahan pengisi hingga 30%.
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
vi
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim .
All praises only to Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala because of His bounties and His
permission, have enabled me to complete this thesis. Without His helps, certainly I
cannot do anything.
In this opportunity, I want to express my thank you to the chairman of supervisory
committee Professor Ir. Dr. Mohd Sapuan Salit and the member of supervisory
committee Dr. Faieza Abdul Aziz for the instructions, guidance and patience in carrying
out this research project. Thanks are also extended to my fellow post-graduate members
who have helped me during complete this thesis. Thanks also go to all my course mates
that gave me a lot of supports in carrying of this work.
Special thanks are also extended to my beloved parents, my entire family and my
fiancee that always prays for me, give supports and helps in carrying out this research
and finally to complete this work.
Finally, I would like to request you for my success in this world and also in the
hereafter.
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
vii
I certify that a Thesis Examination Committee has met on 6th
January 2012 to conduct
the final examination of Mohd Shukri Bin Ibrahim on his thesis entitled “Physical and
Thermomechanical Properties of Oil Palm Ash-Filled Unsaturated Polyester
Composites” in accordance with the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 and
the Constitution of the Universiti Putra Malaysia [P.U.(A) 106] 15 March 1998. The
Committee recommends that the student be awarded the Master of Science.
Members of the Thesis Examination Committee were as follows:
Mohamad Amran b. Mohd Salleh, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Putra Malaysia
(Chairman)
Zulkiflle b. Leman, PhD
Associate Professor
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Putra Malaysia
(Internal Examiner)
Edi Syams b. Zainudin, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Putra Malaysia
(Internal Examiner)
Azlan Bin Ariffin, PhD
Associate Professor
School of Material and Mineral Resources Engineering
Universiti Sains Malaysia
(External Examiner)
________________________
SEOW HENG FONG, PhD
Professor and Deputy Dean
School of Graduate Studies
Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Date:
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
viii
This thesis was submitted to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been
accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science. The
members of the Supervisory Committee are as follows:
Mohd Sapuan Salit, PhD, P.Eng.
Professor
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Putra Malaysia
(Chairman)
Faieza Abdul Aziz, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Putra Malaysia
(Member)
_______________________
BUJANG BIN KIM HUAT, PhD
Professor and Dean
School Of Graduate Studies
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Date:
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
ix
DECLARATION
I declare that the thesis is my original work except for quotations and citations which
have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously and is not
concurrently, submitted for any other degree at Universiti Putra Malaysia or at any other
institution.
_____________________________
MOHD SHUKRI BIN IBRAHIM
Date: 6th
January 2012
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
DEDICATION i
ABSTRACT ii
ABSTRAK iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi
APPROVAL vii
DECLARATION ix
LIST OF TABLES xii
LIST OF FIGURES xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xv
CHAPTER
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of The Research 1
1.2 Problem Statements 2
1.3 Significance of The Research 3
1.4 Objectives of The Research 4
1.5 Scope of Study 4
1.6 Organization of The Thesis 5
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 6
2.2 Resinous Matrices
2.2.1 Thermosetting Resin
2.2.2 Unsaturated Polyester
6
7
9
2.3 Fillers
2.3.1 Synthetic Fillers
2.3.2 Natural Fillers
12
13
16
2.4 Oil Palm
2.4.1 Oil Palm Biomass
2.4.2 Utilization of Oil Palm Ash (OPA)
19
20
22
2.5 Composites 25
2.5.1 Adhesion Between the Filler and Polymer Matrix 26
2.5.2 Synthetic Filler Polymer Composites 29
2.5.3 Natural Filler Polymer Composites 34
2.5.4 Oil Palm Filled Polymer Composites 37
2.5.5 Oil Palm Fibre/Filled Polymer Composites 38
2.5.6 Fly Ash Filled Unsaturated Polyester Composites 39
2.5.7 Oil Palm Ash Filled Composites 40
2.6 Summary of Literature Review 41
3 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 42
© COPYRIG
HT UPM
xi
3.2 Flow of Experiment 42
3.3 Materials 43
3.4 Equipments and Apparatus 44
3.5 Determination of density using glass pycnometer method 45
3.6 Particle size Analysis 47
3.7 Surface morphology 48
3.8 X-ray Diffraction analysis 48
3.9 Fabrication of composites 48
3.10 Mechanical Tests 49
3.10.1 Tensile Test 49
3.10.2 Flexural Test 50
3.11 Thermal Tests 51
3.11.1 Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) 51
3.11.2 Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Analysis 52
3.12 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Analysis 52
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction 53
4.2 Characterisation and Physical Properties of Oil Palm Ash 54
4.2.1 Particle size Analysis 54
4.2.2 Density 57
4.2.3 X-ray Diffraction Analysis 57
4.2.4 Surface Morphology of Particles 59
4.3 Composites From UP Filled Oil Palm Ash with Different Filler
Contents
61
4.3.1 Mechanical Properties 61
4.3.1.1. Tensile Properties 61
4.3.1.2. Tensile Modulus 64
4.3.1.3. Elongation At Break 65
4.3.1.4. Flexural Strength 67
4.3.1.5. Flexural Modulus 68
4.3.2 Thermal Properties 71
4.3.2.1. Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) 71
4.3.2.2. Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC)
Analysis
75
4.3.3 Morphological Properties 76
5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Conclusions 80
5.2 Recommendations 81
REFERENCES 83
BIODATA OF STUDENT 94
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 95
