Cellulose Fibers From Oil Palm Fronds Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composite

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of cellulose fibers from oil palm fronds on the mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) composites. PLA has a great potential to replace petroleum-based plastic, due to its high stiffness and strength are comparable to polystyrene. Nevertheless, the low heat resistance, brittleness and slow crystallization characteristics of PLA are its drawback. To overcome PLA limitation, one of the best solution is natural fiber addition into PLA to produce green composite. Natural fiber from oil palm frond (OPF) is renewable and available excessively in oil palm plantation during cultivation and harvesting time. Three major components of natural fiber are cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. After pulping and bleaching, lignin and hemicellulose of oil palm frond fiber will be removed and set aside cellulose fiber which performance as reinforcing agent in PLA composite. The green composites were prepared by mixing OPF cellulose fibers and PLA in an organic solvent with various fibers content (5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%) and various plasticizer (5 wt%, 10wt%). Mechanical properties data show that addition of pulp fibers improved the Young modulus of PLA composite. Proceeding ASEAN COSAT, P: 473 - 482