The influence of small amount of crude palm oil (CPO) content on the physical properties of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) was investigated. The HDPE and LLDPE containing 2%, 3%, and 5% CPO were prepared in a twin-screw extruder. Then films of 0.2 mm thickness were produced by using blown film technique. The improvement in tensile strength and elongation at break with a concurrent decline in density implied the enhancement in toughness of the polymers by the addition of CPO. A gradual increase in impact strength of HDPE with the CPO content further supported the previous notation. The enhancement in the physical properties in the presence of CPO is believed to be attributed to the increased chain mobility of the polymer along with improved orientation strengthening in HDPE and LLDPE. Evidence from scanning electron micrographs was also used to support this contention. The decline in impact strength of LLDPE with the addition of CPO is associated with the formation of defects in the amorphous phase of LLDPE.

This paper is focuses on the study of the thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE) modified with crude palm oil (CPO). PE of grades LLDPE and HDPE were used in this study. Various compositions of CPO and PE compounds were prepared in a twin-screw extruder. Films of 0.2 mm thickness were produced by using blown film technique. LLDPE and HDPE with CPO samples show only one melting temperature peak in DSC results, indicating the existence of one type of crystal species on all PE matrices. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) shows the decrease of storage modulus was effect of plasticing of CPO. The shifting of b transition peak was observed on both polymers with the addition of CPO indicating the CPO has a lubricating effect on both polymers.

Polyurethane (PU) composites were prepared using a palm oil-based polyol, polycaprolactone (PCL) and Oil Palm Trunk (OPT) fiber. Glass transitions and degree of phase separation were derived from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements. The analyses showed that between PU/PCL and OPT at higher Tg values. The different composition of Polyurethane becomes more flexible at the higher polyol content in the polyurethane composite. FTIR spectra do not show the changes in presence of OPT fibers. Effect of PCL adding shows in the thermal degradation of polyurethane composite and influence the basic mechanism of biobased PU/OPT composite. The morphology of fractured surfaces of the composites, examined by a scanning electron microscope showed an improvement in the adhesion between the fiber and matrix was achieved. Compared to the characteristic features of neat PU material, more definite plastic deformation was observed in the fracture morphology of the PU composites.

The main objectives of the present research are (i) to obtain a monoglyceride from oleic acid through a direct esterification process, (ii) utilization of the obtained monoglycerides to prepare polyurethane (PU) sheet, and (iii) the preparation of a series of biocomposites using prepared PU and different amounts of oil palm trunk (OPT) fiber dust. The tensile strength of OPT fiber dust incorporated PU biocomposites is found to be increased with the increase in the OPT fiber dust content up to 20% in the composites. The tensile strengths of PU and its biocomposites with 20% OPT fiber dust were 0.6 and 2.15 MPa, respectively. The thermal properties of PU and its biocomposites having varied amounts of OPT fiber dust of 0—40% have been investigated using dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). TGA studies revealed that PU and its biocomposites have undergone two- and three-step degradation, respectively. From DMA studies, a shift in the tan δ value was noticed for the biocomposites containing 30 and 40% OPT fiber dust. The morphology of the tensile fractured composite specimens was analyzed using scanning electron microscope.