Production and Characterization of Hybrid Briquettes from Corncobs and Oil Palm Trunk Bark under a Low Pressure Densification Technique

The objective of this research was to investigate the quality of hybrid briquettes developed from corncobs (CC) and oil palm trunk bark (OPTB) under a low-pressure densification technique. The materials were combined in varying ratios of CC to OPTB (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) and wastepaper pulp (10% by weight) was added to each mixture as a binder. The briquettes were produced using a manually operated 20-tonne hydraulic piston press at 28 °C temperature and ≤7 MPa compaction pressure. The mechanical strength of the briquettes was determined by the drop test and compression test methods, while a bomb calorimeter was used to determine the calorific values. The results showed that the physical properties of hybrid briquettes ranged from 9.24–10.00% moisture content, 0.38–0.40 g/cm3 density, and 87.60%–92.00% water resistance. Mechanical strength showed a 98.28%–99.08% shatter index and 18.47–21.75 MPa compressive strength, while calorific values ranged from 16.54–16.91 MJ/kg. The hybrid briquettes fared better than the CC briquettes. The significance of this study lies in the production of briquettes with suitable physical, mechanical and thermal properties by utilizing OPTB which have hitherto not been used, mixed with corncobs. This could bring substantial environmental and socio-economic benefits to rural communities of the developing countries.

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Enhancement of Oil Palm Waste Nanoparticles on the Properties and Characterization of Hybrid Plywood Biocomposites

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym12051007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1007 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Arif Nuryawan ◽

C. Abdullah ◽

Che Hazwan ◽

N. Olaiya ◽

Esam Yahya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thermal Stability ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Phenol Formaldehyde ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Mechanical And Thermal Properties ◽

Empty Fruit Bunch ◽

Oil Palm Trunk ◽

Stability Performance ◽

Properties And Characterization

Using oil palm trunk (OPT) layered with empty fruit bunch (EFB), so-called hybrid plywood enhanced with palm oil ash nanoparticles, with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin as a binder, was produced in this study. The phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins filled with different loading of oil palm ash (OPA) nanoparticles were prepared and used as glue for layers of the oil palm trunk (OPT) veneer and empty fruit bunch fibre mat. The resulting hybrid plywood produced was characterised. The physical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the hybrid plywood panels were investigated. The results obtained showed that the presence of OPA nanoparticles significantly affected the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the plywood panels. Significant improvements in dimension from water absorption and thickness swelling experiments were obtained for the plywood panels with the highest OPA nanoparticles loading in PF resin. The mechanical properties indicated that plywood composites showed improvement in flexural, shear, and impact properties until a certain loading of OPA nanoparticles in PF resin. Fracture surface morphology also showed the effectiveness of OPA nanoparticles in the reduction of layer breakage due to force and stress distribution. The thermal stability performance showed that PF filled OPA nanoparticles contributed to the thermal stability of the plywood panels. Therefore, the results obtained in this study showed that OPA nanoparticles certainly improved the characteristic of the hybrid plywood.

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Modification of the Inner Part of the Oil Palm Trunk (OPT) with Oil Palm Shell (OPS) Nanoparticles and Phenol Formaldehyde (PF) Resin: Physical, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties

BioResources ◽

10.15376/biores.9.1.455-471 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rudi Dungani ◽

Md Nazrul Islam ◽

H. P. S. Abdul Khalil ◽

Y. Davoudpour ◽

Alfi Rumidatul

Keyword(s):

Thermal Properties ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Phenol Formaldehyde ◽

Mechanical And Thermal Properties ◽

Oil Palm Trunk ◽

Palm Shell ◽

Oil Palm Shell

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The oil palm wine economy of rural farmers in Nigeria: evidence from Enugu Ezike, south-eastern Nigeria

Rural History ◽

10.1017/s0956793319000062 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (02) ◽

pp. 111-128

Author(s):

Apex A. Apeh ◽

Christian C. Opata

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Participant Observation ◽

Palm Kernel ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Economic Life ◽

Palm Wine ◽

South Eastern ◽

Rural Farmers

AbstractThe study considers the economics of the oil palm (Elaeis guinensis) to rural farmers in a rural community in south-eastern Nigeria. It compares the economic benefits of all products of the oil palm industry – palm oil, palm kernel, timber, palm wine and brooms. It posits that the most important product of the oil palm to the Enugu Ezike farmer is oil palm wine. This contrasts with the view that holds palm oil and palm kernel as the chief products of the oil palm. In a study conducted in Enugu Ezike, findings reveal that annual revenue from palm wine surpasses the six-yearly income from palm oil, palm kernel and brooms together. The study employs an eclectic framework of data collection, involving oral interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation, and the use of secondary sources. The oil palm is by every standard the most economically important tree crop and proceeds from it have positively influenced the socio-economic life of the rural communities, and as a result it has improved their living conditions.

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Extraction and Characterization of Hemicelluloses and Cellulose from Oil Palm Trunk and Empty Fruit Bunch Fibres

Journal of Wood Chemistry and Technology ◽

10.1080/02773819909349606 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 19 (1-2) ◽

pp. 167-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Runcang Sun ◽

J. M. Fang ◽

L. Mott ◽

J. Bolton

Keyword(s):

Oil Palm ◽

Empty Fruit Bunch ◽

Oil Palm Trunk

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Effect of oil palm ash on the mechanical and thermal properties of unsaturated polyester composites

e-Polymers ◽

10.1515/epoly-2016-0079 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 323-329 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. Sahari ◽

M.A. Maleque

Keyword(s):

Thermal Properties ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Tensile Testing ◽

Unsaturated Polyester ◽

Morphological Characterization ◽

Mechanical And Thermal Properties ◽

Casting Method ◽

Oil Palm Ash ◽

Polyester Composites

AbstractThis research was carried out to evaluate the effect of oil palm ash (OPA) on the mechanical and thermal properties of biocomposites. Different compositions of OPA (i.e. 0, 10, 20 and 30 vol%) were introduced to unsaturated polyester (UPE) by using simple casting method with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) as a hardener. The specimens were prepared based on ASTM D5083 standards for tensile testing. From the results, it was found that the mechanical properties of UPE/OPA composites were improved in modulus with increasing the OPA content. The physical properties of UPE/OPA were also investigated where the density of biocomposites decrease with increasing OPA while the water absorption of UPE/OPA increase with increasing OPA. The thermal and morphological characterization of the UPE/OPA composites have been done using TGA, DSC and SEM.

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