ABSTRACT

Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) powder waste is an industrial waste material containing a mixture of aluminium and polyethylene (PE), which has the potential to cause environmental pollution if not properly utilized. This study aims to investigate the effect of ACP powder waste and petung bamboo fiber mixtures on the tensile strength, impact strength, and macrostructure of composites. The specimens were fabricated using a hot-pressing method at a temperature of 200°C, a pressure of 363 psi, and a holding time of 45 minutes. The material compositions were determined using the Design of Experiment (DOE) method. Tensile testing was conducted according to ASTM D638 Type IV, impact testing was performed using the Izod method in accordance with ASTM D256, and macrostructural observations were carried out using an Olympus Stereo Microscope. The results showed that the material composition significantly affected the mechanical properties of the composites. The highest tensile strength was obtained in Specimen 13, consisting of 70% PE, 17.5% petung bamboo fiber, and 12.95% aluminium flakes, with a tensile strength of 32.75 MPa. The highest impact strength was also obtained in Specimen 13, reaching 0.04243 J/mm². The macrostructural observation of this specimen showed a more homogeneous distribution of the reinforcement and fewer voids. These results indicate that ACP powder waste combined with petung bamboo fiber has the potential to be utilized as an environmentally friendly alternative composite material with good mechanical properties.