Mechanical And Physical Properties of Wood-Plastic Composites Made of Polypropylene, Wood Flour and Nanoclay

摘要

The focus of this study was to characterize mechanical and physical properties of experimental composition prepared from nanoclays (Cloisite® 20A), wood flour (WF) and polypropylene (PP). Nanoclays with different concentrations were used as reinforcing filler for wood plastic compositions (WPCs). Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added as a coupling agent to increase the interaction between the components of wood-plastic composites. Nanoclay based wood-plastic composites were made by extrusion process and then injection molding. Mechanical and physical properties of the as-prepared composites were evaluated. The results of strength measurements showed that the flexural modulus of the composite was increased by 56.33 % with increasing of nanoclays contents to 5 wt. %, reaching approximately 3.58 GPa compared to WPC containing 0% of nanoclays. Moreover, the flexural and tensile strengths reached their maximum values when the concentrations of nanoclays was 2.5 wt. %. When maintaining the nanoclays at a low concentration, it was well dispersed in the WPC. However, when more nanoclays (4 –5 wt. %) was introduced, the enhancing effect began to diminish because of the agglomeration of nanoclays which caused poor interfacialudadhesion. The addition of nanoclays decreased the average water uptake by 13 %, compared to the control sampleud(without nanoclays). The improvement of physical and mechanical properties confirmed that nanoclays has goodudreinforcement and the optimum effect of nanoclays was archived at 2.5 wt. %.