Topic > Research Summary: Use of Wood-Based Particles in…

The effective use of wood-based particles and fibers as fillers or reinforcements in thermoplastic composites requires essential consideration of the structural and chemical personalities of wood [1] . English and Falk provide a comprehensive overview of the factors that influence the properties of wood-plastic composites [2]. Although several studies have revealed that fiber-polymer compatibility can be improved by selecting appropriate coupling agents [3,4], the compatibility between polar wood fiber and non-polar thermoplastic materials remains critical for extending the functional limits of the resulting composites [5]. . Another repeatedly cited key factor in natural fiber thermoplastic composites is thermal degradation [6]. Furthermore, different wood species have different anatomical structures. These structural differences direct the use of these materials in WPC. For example, the size, strength, unpredictability and structure of the fibers are important considerations. Maldas et al. studied the effect of wood species on the mechanical properties of wood/thermoplastic composites [7]. They reported that differences in morphology, density and aspect ratio between wood species explain the different reinforcing properties of thermoplastic composites. Recently, Neagu et al. studied the stiffness part of various wood fibers in composite materials. They observed a connection between lignin content and longitudinal Young's modulus, and an optimal lignin content range for maximum fiber stiffness was recorded for softwood Kraft fibers [8]. Several efforts have been made to link wood-based particle and fiber properties to the properties of WPC [9–11]. A high aspect ratio (length/width) is very essential in fibre-reinforced composites, as it indicates power... half the paper... it is believed that using considerably more in the WPC matrix would result in the formation of excellent mechanical properties, especially if the exfoliated microstructure can be achieved [17]. In fact, even in the HDPE/nano-silicate matrix, significant developments in quality and performance have been noted for between 0.05 and 1% clay weight. To avoid the formation of a microstructure unfavorable to the uniform diffusion of nanosilicates in the WPC matrix (also known as intercalated structure), a compabilizer such as polyethylene maleate (PE-g-MAn) is used. increase the cohesion between the edges of nano-clay, wood fiber and plastic [18]. Instead of using a different bonding agent for the wood fiber/polymer and nano-silicate/polymer interfaces, using PE-g-MAn alone can save costs and simplify material formulation [19].