Fabrication of Oil Palm Fibre Polymer Composite Panel: Impact of Hybridized Flame Retardant Formulations on Thermo-Mechanical Properties

Various oil palm fibre reinforced polyester composite (OPFPC) panels has been fabricated with different FR formulations at increasing percentage loading using hand lay-up compression moulding technique. The effects of aluminium hydroxide (ATH), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), their hybridization and synergism with carbon black (CB) on the mechanical and thermal properties have been investigated. The results obtained showed that 12% ATH inclusion in the OPFC enhanced the tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM) and flexural strength (FS) relative to 0%OPFC panel by 16.2%, 5.9% and 71.2%, respectively. The inclusion of 15%APP-GAP/CB decreased in TS and FS by 18.8% and 20.8% respectively while 18%ATH/APP-GAP/CB hybrid formulation decreased the most by 28.1% in TM showing poor performance in the presence of CB. TGA results reveals that the inclusion of 12%ATH and 15%APP-GAP/CB improved the thermal degradation relative to the 0%OPFC by 5.1°C and 20.48°C respectively while other FR formulations exhibited a decrease. Char residue at 900°C which signifies the end of the test increased significantly for all the FR formulations with 15%APP-GAP/CB observed as the highest at 17.47% and 12%APP-GAP as the least at 10.53%. The inclusion of 12%ATH in the OPFC panel suggest a better mechanical and thermal stability while the inclusion of 15%APP-GAP/CB suggest a better flame retardancy owing to the highest char formation.