Estimation of modulus of elasticity of plastics and wood plastic composites using a Taber stiffness tester

This study measured the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of various plastics and composite materials with a Taber stiffness tester as an alternative to conventional universal testing machines. The proposed approach presents an expedited means to assess MOE for a wide range of plastics and wood plastic composites (WPCs) with various shapes. The Taber stiffness units and the geometry of the samples acted as the basis for the calculation of the MOE. The results showed a high correlation between the MOE calculated from Taber units and that obtained on a universal testing machine (Instron). Concurrently, Taber units showed the potential to assess stiffness of samples with irregular shapes, such as in the case of extruded rods, which exhibit this characteristic. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.