The suitability of fibers from the inner part of oil palm trunks for molded pulp packaging materials

The inner part of oil palm trunk (OPT), typically underexploited and relegated to low–value uses, was evaluated as a feedstock for molded-pulp packaging. Fibers were generated by neutral sulfite semi-chemical (NSSC) pulping to effectively lower lignin content, and subcritical water extraction (SCWE) to reduce hemicellulose. Fiber morphology and chemistry were characterized, and paper hand-sheets were prepared to assess bonding performance. At comparable freeness, tensile index of hand-sheets from NSSC-treated OPT fibers was around 60 % higher than for reference hand-sheets from commercial recycled pulp, while SCWE treatment resulted in a 45 % lower tensile index. All pulp types were used for laboratory-scale molding into packaging trays. Except for one SCWE variant, trays retained their wet shape through drying and matched the mechanical integrity and dimensional stability of reference trays from recycled pulp. These findings demonstrate, quantitatively and at laboratory scale, the technical feasibility of converting the inner part of OPT into high-performance molded-pulp packaging, thus offering a sustainable valorization pathway for a major agricultural by-product.