2012 - Europe Direct Iasi

EUROINVENT 2012
7.4.
Eco Composite from Fibers of Empty Fruit Bunch of Oil
Title
Palm (EFB) for Component of Body Armour Vest
Authors Mickel Roberto, Dr.-Ing. A. C. Arya
Institution Universitas Trisakti, Indonesia
Patent no. Pending
The production of crude palm oil (CPO) generates wastes
such as biomass, and liquid waste, gas as well. Biomass of
Empty Fruit Bunch of Oil Palm (EFB) is available in high
amount and will be disposed through burning in
incenerator. It causes air pollution.
Utilization of EFB fibers is a solution to replace the
unfriendly stuffs such as mineral, synthetic, etc. which are
used to produce commercial and technical products today.
Indonesia is the biggest CPO producers worldwide with
21.5 Mio. tonnes production in 2011. The amount of CPO
and EFB biomass is aquivalent.
By keeping its natural honey comb structure (lightweight
construction) of EFB fibers and using the binding agent
from potato the strong composites can be produced. Fibers
Description and binding agents will be mixed. The mixture in form of
plates is called as prepregs. Prepregs will be hot pressed at
160 0 C, 5 bar, for 30 min to produce 2 mm Eco
Composites. Eco Composites have strenghness (Modulus
Elasticity) at 1.8 GPa, ceramic only by 400 MPa.
Today plates from ceramics, Polyaramide (PA), High
Performance Polyethyline (HPPE) each with weight of 2-4
kg will be used as hard plates as component of body
armour vest. These materials are not renewable and not
environmental friendly as well. Eco Composites from EFB
fibers can replace ceramics, PA, HPPE by using 5 layers
eco composites (weight: less than 0.7 kg).
Environmental friendly material for protecting people can
be produced from renewable resources, such as from
natural fibers of EFB and starch based on potato.
Prepregs (left), Eco Composite (right)
Class 7
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