Polypropylene–oil palm empty fruit bunch–glass fibre hybrid composites: a preliminary study on the flexural and tensile properties

Polypropylene (PP) hybrid composites were made using oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) and glass fibres (GF) as reinforcing agents in PP matrix. The incorporation of both fibres into PP matrix has resulted in the reduction of flexural and tensile strengths. Both flexural and tensile modulus have been improved with the increasing level of overall fibre content loading. Three types of coupling agents, i.e. maleic-anhydride-modified PP (commercial name Epolene, E-43), polymethylenepolyphenyl isocyanate (PMPPIC) and 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propylmethacrylate (TPM), were attempted. Overall, E-43 and TPM had imparted considerable improvements in the flexural and tensile properties. However, only slight improvements in some cases were shown for those composites treated with PMPPIC.