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Effects of oil palm trunk biochar on the thermal stability and acoustic properties of specialty natural rubber latex foam

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Abstract

Specialty natural rubber (SpNR) latex foam is a natural-based acoustic foam material, that can substitute conventional synthetic foams to control noise pollution in buildings and in the transportation industry. However, the thermal stability of SpNR latex foam must be improved to meet the required safety criteria for buildings. The goal of the study is to investigate the feasibility of oil palm trunk biochar (OPTB) as a flame-retardant ingredient in two types of SpNR latex foam: deproteinized natural rubber latex foam and epoxidized natural rubber latex foam. The effects of different levels of OPTB loading (8 phr, 16 phr, and 24 phr) on the thermal stability and acoustic properties of OPTB/SpNR latex foam composites were examined. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that the OPTB has excellent flame-retardant characteristics. The addition of OPTB to SpNR latex foam decreased the thermal decomposition rate of SpNR latex foam but was still insufficient to meet the building fire rating requirements. This study also found that the addition of OPTB to SpNR latex foam increased sound transmission loss but decreased the sound absorption coefficient values. Owing to the fact that OPTB is cheaper than SpNR latex, the addition of OPTB to SpNR latex foam could lead to cost savings in the production of the acoustic foam material. Additionally, this study contributes to sustainable material development by converting OPTB, a by-product from oil palm plantations into value-added products, which is in line with global environmental aspirations.

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Data availability

No datasets on the effects of porosity and stiffness on the acoustic properties of SpNR latex foam loaded with OPTB were generated during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

The main findings presented in this report are from the PhD thesis of the first author. The authors are grateful for the financial support and facilities provided by the Malaysian Rubber Board, the University of Nottingham and the Universiti Kuala Lumpur. The authors also thank Ahmad Syaheer Abu Aswad, Hishamudin Samat, and Mohd. Affarizan Zainal Anuar for their technical assistance during the duration of the study. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest with respect to the publication of this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technology and Engineering Division, Malaysian Rubber Board, Selangor, Malaysia

    Roslim Ramli, Shamsul Kamaruddin & Fatimah Rubaizah Mohd. Rasdi

  2. Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

    Roslim Ramli, Ai Bao Chai & Jee Hou Ho

  3. Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

    Roslim Ramli & Davide S. A. De Focatiis

  4. Green Chemistry and Sustainable Engineering Technology Cluster, Section, Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering Technology, Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Malaysia

    Siew Kooi Ong & Robert T. Bachmann

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  1. Roslim Ramli
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Contributions

Conceptualization; [RR, ABC, SK, JHH, FRMR, DDF]; Methodology: [RR, ABC, SK, FRMR, RTB] Formal analysis and investigation: [RR, ABC, SK, JHH, FRMR, DDF, RTB]; Writing—original draft preparation: [RR, ABC]; Writing—review and editing: [RR, ABC, SK, FRMR, JHH, DDF, RTB, SKO]; Funding acquisition: [RR, ABC, JHH]; Resources: [RR, FRMR, RTB]; Supervision: [ABC, SK, JHH, DDF]. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Ramli, R., Chai, A.B., Kamaruddin, S. et al. Effects of oil palm trunk biochar on the thermal stability and acoustic properties of specialty natural rubber latex foam. J Rubber Res 26, 1–15 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42464-023-00193-8

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