**9.1 Resin penetration on composite board from compressed oil palm fronds**

The high porous morphology of compressed oil palm fronds helps the resin be located and filled within the space, improving the characteristics of the composite board from compressed oil palm fronds. According to the obtained results, the density of the composite board was generally increased than oil palm fronds, and it

#### **Figure 26.**

*SEM of the composite board from compressed oil palm fronds at longitudinal sectional view (15 magnification).*

#### **Figure 27.**

*SEM of the composite board from compressed oil palm fronds at longitudinal sectional view (300 magnification).*

can be observed that an increase of resin penetration increased wood density and basic density result. This is because the resin reinforcement was applied to improve the wood features of the composite board and logically accepted the fact that the resin penetrated through the intercellular cavities of the composite board from compressed oil palm fronds, as shown in **Figure 28**.

The microscopic image of resin penetration on the composite boards from compressed oil palm fronds is presented in detail are shown in **Figures 29** and **30**. The strength increases with the enhancement in the density and basic density of the composite board. Most of the tested specimens increase their strength properties, including MOE of static bending strength and MOR of static bending and compression strength that have been tested in this study. It is attributed that the applied resin to the compressed oil palm fronds to form them into composite board was affecting positively to improve the strength properties of the composite board from compressed oil palm fronds. However, the different types of resin used in

#### **Figure 28.**

*SEM of resin penetration on composite board from compressed oil palm fronds (200 magnification).*

#### **Figure 29.**

*SEM of resin penetration on composite board from compressed oil palm fronds (1000 magnification).*

*Processing and Properties of Oil Palm Fronds Composite Boards from* Elaeis guineensis *DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98222*

#### **Figure 30.**

*SEM of resin penetration on composite board from compressed oil palm fronds (4000 magnification).*

producing this composite board did not significantly differ for density and basic density values and strength properties discussed above.
