The effects of lignocellulosic fillers on mechanical, morphological and thermal properties of wood polymer composites

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate some of the physical, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of wood fl our and cellulose fi ber fi lled polypropylene composites. Polypropylene as a polymer matrix and wood fl our and cellulose fi bers were used as reinforcing fi llers to prepare the composites by using a single screw extruder. Physical properties such as density, mechanical properties such as fl exure strength and fl exure modulus, tensile strength and tensile modulus, and impact strength, thermal behavior with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), and morphological characterization with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the composites were determined. The density of the composites was found to increase with the addition of fi llers. The mechanical properties of the composites showed that the fl exure and tensile strength for the composites with wood fl our was higher than the composites with cellulose fi bers, whereas fl exure and tensile modulus, and impact strength for the composites with cellulose fi bers was found to have higher values as compared to the composites with wood fl our. SEM pictures showed that particles and fi bers dispersed to different locations in polypropylene matrix. According to the TGA results, thermal degradation of all the composites was found to be lower compared to neat polymer.