The effect of oil palm wood flour as a filler in natural rubber compounds

The mechanical properties of NR composites with oil palm wood flour (OPWF) and carbon black were studied, The maximum and minimum torques increased wi th increasing OPWF loading whereas the scorch and cure times exhibit revers e trend. Increasing OPWF loading resulted in reduction of tensile and tear strengths and elongation at break, but increased tensile modulus and hardne ss. In OPWF-carbon black filled compounds, the scorch and cure times are no t affected by the addition of carbon black, However, the maximum and minimu m torques values are depend on the carbon black loading. On increasing the OPWF loading and at the same time reducing the black loading, the tensile s trength, tear strength, and hardness show the decreasing trend.