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Article

Preparation and Characterization of Ultra-Fine Oil Palm Ash Powder by Ultrasonication and Alkaline Treatment for Its Evaluation as Reinforcing Filler in Natural Rubber

1
Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Products Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001, China
2
Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
3
Sino-Thai International Rubber College, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
4
Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM), Bangkok 10330, Thailand
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Polymers 2021, 13(1), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13010100
Received: 17 October 2020 / Revised: 10 December 2020 / Accepted: 22 December 2020 / Published: 29 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Polymers from Biomass)
Ultra-fine oil palm ash (OPA) particles were successfully prepared using ultrasonication along with optimal chemical deagglomeration. The influence of chemical treatment by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution on the OPA particles was found to be an important factor in enhancing deagglomeration efficiency. The average particle size of the original OPA (41.651 μm) decreased remarkably more than 130 times (0.318 μm) with an obvious increase of Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area after treating the OPA with 3M NaOH, followed by ultrasonication for 30 min. The changes in particle size and surface morphology were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the chemical functional groups of the untreated and treated OPA showed different patterns of infrared spectra by the presence of sodium carbonate species owing to the effect of NaOH treatment. The incorporation of both untreated and treated OPA in natural rubber by increasing their loading can improve cure characteristics (i.e., reducing optimum cure time and increasing torques) and cure kinetic parameters (i.e., increasing the rate of cure and reducing activation energy). Nevertheless, the strength, degree of reinforcement, and thermal stability of treated OPA as well as wettability between treated OPA particles and NR were greater than that resulting from the untreated OPA. View Full-Text
Keywords: oil palm ash; ultra-fine particle; ultrasonication; alkaline treatment; natural rubber composites oil palm ash; ultra-fine particle; ultrasonication; alkaline treatment; natural rubber composites
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MDPI and ACS Style

Jarnthong, M.; Malawet, C.; Liao, L.; Li, P.; Peng, Z.; Intharapat, P. Preparation and Characterization of Ultra-Fine Oil Palm Ash Powder by Ultrasonication and Alkaline Treatment for Its Evaluation as Reinforcing Filler in Natural Rubber. Polymers 2021, 13, 100. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13010100

AMA Style

Jarnthong M, Malawet C, Liao L, Li P, Peng Z, Intharapat P. Preparation and Characterization of Ultra-Fine Oil Palm Ash Powder by Ultrasonication and Alkaline Treatment for Its Evaluation as Reinforcing Filler in Natural Rubber. Polymers. 2021; 13(1):100. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13010100

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jarnthong, Methakarn, Chutarat Malawet, Lusheng Liao, Puwang Li, Zheng Peng, and Punyanich Intharapat. 2021. "Preparation and Characterization of Ultra-Fine Oil Palm Ash Powder by Ultrasonication and Alkaline Treatment for Its Evaluation as Reinforcing Filler in Natural Rubber" Polymers 13, no. 1: 100. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13010100

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