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Rigid Polyurethane Foam Reinforced with Microfibrillated Cellulose from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunches as Efficient Thermal Insulation

Annisa Rifathin, Dwi Novriadi, Dwi Novriadi, Zarlina Zainuddin, Zarlina Zainuddin, Nanda Nagara, Nanda Nagara, Athanasia Amanda Septevani, Athanasia Amanda Septevani

Abstract


There is increasing interest in enhancing the thermal insulation of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) through a sustainable approach. This work presents the utilization of micro-sized biobased fillers, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) derived from oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) waste, to improve the properties of RPUF composite as a potential insulation material. The inclusion of MFCEFB fillers at varied compositions (0.25–1 wt.%) in the RPUF composites demonstrated significant improvement of thermal insulation, as evidenced by their correlation with lower thermal conductivity, without compromising the mechanical properties compared to the control RPUF without MFCEFB. The results showed a decrease in the thermal conductivity of RPUF composite by 7.92% with the addition of 0.5 wt.% MFCEFB. The compressive strength also increased by 11.76% compared to the control RPUF. These enhancements were correlated to MFCEFB acting as a nucleating agent in the RPUF foaming process, where morphological analysis confirmed that the addition of MFCEFB resulted in smaller and more uniform cell sizes compared to the control RPUF. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) analysis revealed potential interactions between MFCEFB and polyurethane that could improve foam structural integrity. Moreover, the incorporation of MFCEFB at very low concentration had a negligible effect on the biodegradability compared to the RPUF control, demonstrating similar structural integrity to the control RPUF under natural environmental conditions, thereby ensuring the long-term durability of RPUF biocomposites.

Keywords



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DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2025.12.002

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