Effect of filler loading and size on the physical, thermal and mechanical properties of oil palm ash reinforced epoxy composite
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Date
2016-06
Authors
Tan Wai Keat
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Abstract
The effect of oil palm ash (OPA) as filler on epoxy-polyamine was studied. The ratio of epoxy to hardener used was 100 phr:50 phr. The amount of oil palm ash filler loading percentage varies from 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% of weight of epoxy resin whereas the particle size of oil palm ash used were 14 μm and 42 μm. The studies involved particle size analysis of oil palm ash filler, physical properties (density test and void content determination), mechanical properties (tensile properties), thermal properties (Thermogravimetric Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry) and morphological properties (Scanning Electron Microscopy).The properties of the oil palm ash filled epoxy-polyamine composite improved with addition of filler due to its reinforcing effect on epoxy composite. Both the theoretical density and measured density increased with increasing of OPA filler loading and filler size. The void content of epoxy composite also increased with increasing OPA filler loading and filler size. The tensile strength and the tensile modulus also increased with increasing of filler loading percentage up to optimum filler loading of 10 %. The 14 μm OPA filled epoxy composite also found to have higher tensile strength and tensile modulus than the 42 μm OPA filled epoxy composite. The elongation at break for epoxy composite also decreased with increasing filler content and increasing size. The glass transition temperature of the epoxy composite was found to be increased with increasing filler loading and decreasing filler size.The initial decomposition temperature and temperature at maximum weight loss increase with the increase in oil palm ash filler loading up to 10 % and decreasing filler size.