Flexural properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) resin reinforced with oil palm empty fruit bunch fibers: a preliminary finding

PURPOSE: The purpose of this preliminary study was to evaluate the flexural properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) reinforced with oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The flexural strength and flexural modulus of three OPEFB fiber-reinforced PMMA were compared with a conventional and a commercially available reinforced PMMA. The three test groups included OPEFB fibers of 0.5 mm thickness, 2.0 mm thickness, and OPEFB cellulose.

RESULTS: All test group specimens demonstrated improved flexural strength and flexural modulus over conventional PMMA. Reinforcement with OPEFB cellulose showed the highest mean flexural strength and flexural modulus, which were statistically significant when compared to the conventional and commercially reinforced PMMA used in this study. OPEFB fiber in the form of cellulose and 0.5 mm thickness fiber significantly improved flexural strength and flexural modulus of conventional PMMA resin. Further investigation on the properties of PMMA reinforced with OPEFB cellulose is warranted.

CONCLUSIONS: Natural OPEFB fibers, especially OPEFB in cellulose form, can be considered a viable alternative to existing commercially available synthetic fiber reinforced PMMA resin.