Effects of wood flour modification on the fire retardancy of wood-plastic composites

Wood-plastic composites (WPC) are materials that combine the properties of wood and plastics. Both are flammable organic materials. Fire safety is considered to be an important issue especially in construction applications. In this research, the fire safety of WPC material is improved by using modification chemicals for wood flour treatment. The effectiveness of the modification is studied with a cone calorimeter device. Mechanical properties and water absorption are also examined. Scanning electron microscopy is used for analyzing the interfacial adhesion of the fiber and matrix. The results show that the fire performance of WPC material can be enhanced through wood modification, which can also improve the moisture uptake performance and the interfacial adhesion of the material. However the mechanical properties decrease as a result of modification with the used fire retardants.