Effect of alkali treatments on morphology and acoustic properties of oil palm frond fibers in low-density composite particleboards.

Oil Palm Frond (OPF) fibers were thoroughly characterized to evaluate their potential as reinforcing components in polymer composites. The fibres were treated for 60 and 180 Min with 2% sodium hydroxide by weight and the influence that this parameter had on the properties of the board was evaluated. The fibers were evaluated for their morphology and acoustic properties. The materials used were OPF particles and urea–formaldehyde was used as an adhesive. The morphological observation revealed that as the alkali immersion time increased, the fiber became denser due to the collapse of the cell structure, the void content reduced, and its surface became rougher. The absorption coefficient was determined by testing samples at frequencies ranging from 50 to 6300 Hz. The results indicated that the boards had a high absorption coefficient for both medium and high-frequency ranges, with considerable variations depending on particle treatment. The boards treated for 180 Min alkali were classified as Class A sound absorbers, with an αn of more than 0.99. The results indicated that this material may be suitable for commercial sound insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]