| dc.description.abstract | Cellulose which derived from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) wastes can be
potentially used as fillers in composite materials. The study on the utilization of
cellulose as filler in polyester matrix had been done with the purpose to obtain the
best cellulose fillers composition in Unsaturated Polyester (UPR) composites in
producing mechanical properties such as: tensile strength, flexural strength, impact
strength and water absorption. In this research, UPR was mixed with cellulose with
mass ratio 95:5; 90:10; 85:15; and 80:20 by using hand lay-up method. The result of
FTIR characterization shows that bonding between matrix and fillers is mechanical
anchoring, hyroden bonding and Van der Waals forces. The results of mechanical
properties shows at ratio of UPR : cellulose 95:5, the maximum tensile strength
obtained is 21,518 MPa. Meanwhile the value of Young's Modulus continues to
increase while the value of elongation at break decreases as the amount of cellulose
increases. An analysis of flexural strength properties shows that increasing of it’s
value occurs at ratio 95:5 of 50,872 MPa. An analysis of impact strength properties
shows that increased occurs only at ratio 95:5 of 5094 J/m2
. The results of
mechanical properties are supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In water absorption test, the higher water uptake
occured at the first hour and the water uptake will increase as the amount of fillers
rise. | en_US |
