Reinforced polypropylene composites: Effects of chemical compositions and particle size

In this work, the effects of wood species, particle sizes and hot-water treatment on some physical and mechanical properties of wood-plastic composites were studied. Composites of thermoplastic reinforced with oak (Quercus castaneifolia) and pine (Pinus eldarica) wood were prepared. Polypropylene (PP) and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) were used as the polymer matrix and coupling agent, respectively. The results showed that pine fiber had significant effect on the mechanical properties considered in this study. This effect is explained by the higher fiber length and aspect ratio of pine compared to the oak fiber. The hot-water treated (extractive-free) samples, in both wood species, improved the tensile, flexural and impact properties, but increased the water absorption for 24 h. This work clearly showed that lignocellulosic materials in both forms of fiber and flour could be effectively used as reinforcing elements in PP matrix. Furthermore, extractives have marked effects on the mechanical and physical properties. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.