Preparation and Characterization of Ultra-Fine Oil Palm Ash Powder by Ultrasonication and Alkaline Treatment for Its Evaluation as Reinforcing Filler in Natural Rubber

Ultra-fine oil palm ash (OPA) particles were successfully prepared using ultrasonication along with optimal chemical deagglomeration. The influence of chemical treatment by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution on the OPA particles was found to be an important factor in enhancing deagglomeration efficiency. The average particle size of the original OPA (41.651 μm) decreased remarkably more than 130 times (0.318 μm) with an obvious increase of Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) surface area after treating the OPA with 3M NaOH, followed by ultrasonication for 30 min. The changes in particle size and surface morphology were investigated using transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the chemical functional groups of the untreated and treated OPA showed different patterns of infrared spectra by the presence of sodium carbonate species owing to the effect of NaOH treatment. The incorporation of both untreated and treated OPA in natural rubber by increasing their loading can improve cure characteristics (i.e., reducing optimum cure time and increasing torques) and cure kinetic parameters (i.e., increasing the rate of cure and reducing activation energy). Nevertheless, the strength, degree of reinforcement, and thermal stability of treated OPA as well as wettability between treated OPA particles and NR were greater than that resulting from the untreated OPA.