Oil palm fibers represent a very abundant and natural resource for raw mate
rials that can be efficiently utilized as reinforcement in polymers. The so
rption characteristics of two types of oil palm fibers-oil palm empty-fruit
-bunch (OPEFB) fiber and oil palm mesocarp fiber-in distilled water, minera
l water, and water containing salt at four different temperatures were inve
stigated. The uptake of water decreased with an increase in temperature. Th
e OPEFB fiber showed higher sorption than the mesocarp fiber. This was due
to the uptake associated with the capillary action in the OPEFB fiber. The
thermodynamic parameters of the sorption process were calculated. (C) 2001
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.