production of materials from Raffia palm leaves: Their characterization and applications

The palm family which is very versatile, of great service to man, and in great abundance in the tropics has not attracted the desired research efforts. In this work, raffia palm leaves, serving as raw materials, have been processed into a refined, researchful, value added form and produced into specimens which are then subjected to certain characterizations which include thickness, density, -3 and hardness. Specimens of thickness in the range (4.49 5.60) x 10 m, density range (13.31- 15.92) 2 -3 x 10 kgm , and hardness range: 47 99 were produced. They were found suitable for possible applications as roofing and ceiling materials