Potential Effect of Palm Oil Fuel Ash as Micro-Filler of Polymer Concrete

This paper discusses the feasibility of using an agricultural waste called palm oil fuel ash (POFA) as micro-filler in polymer concrete. As a cellulose waste material, such potential of POFA is often neglected since it tends to uptake excessive resin during the mixing process.  Hence, the filler characterization was involved in this study to investigate the potential of POFA become as micro-filler in polymer concrete.  The filler characteristics of unground and ground POFA (UPOFA and GPOFA) were examined under microstructural examination, which included particle size analyzer (PSA), morphology image, and termogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TGA and DTA).  A total of ten mix designs of polymer concrete were employed for flowability and compression test.  Then, the workability and strength of polymer concrete were investigated after incorporating two types of filler with different filler content.  Two major outcomes had been achieved. Firstly, the filler had their physical features significantly changed after physical surface modification.  Secondly, finer filler had given superior workability and compressive strength.  In conclusion, the agricultural waste of POFA can be incorporated as micro-filler in polymer concrete after being physically modified and mixed with the appropriate mix design to obtain superior mechanical properties.