Properties enhancement of resin impregnated agro waste: oil palm trunk lumber

Abstract

In this study, the kiln-dried oil palm trunk (OPT) was impregnated with phenol formaldehyde (PF) and urea formaldehyde (UF) resin as a matrix using high-pressure vaccum impregnation chamber. Different percentages of resin were loaded in oil palm trunk lumber (OPTL) and compared with kiln-dried OPT and rubberwood (RW). The physical, mechanical, and environmental properties were studied according to BS and ASTM standards. The morphology of resin-loaded OPTL was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while thermal characterization was carried out by thermogravimetric analysis. In general, the OPTL exhibited better values of physical and mechanical properties than dried OPT and OPTL (50% resin loading), which were slightly lower than RW; however, OPTL exhibited good thermal stability compared with dried OPT and RW. Furthermore, the OPTL exhibited a high resistance against termites. The observation of SEM micrograph showed that OPTL with PF resin loading exhibited better morphology than OPTL with UF resin loading, and full penetration of resin into OPT structures was observed.