Search Results

This paper presents the foaming behaviors of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-based and polypropylene (PP)-based wood fiber composites with a small amount of nanosized clay. Melt compounding was used to prepare various types of clay-filled, wood fiber composites, such as intercalated and exfoliated clay composites. Their morphology was determined by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The extrusion foaming was conducted using N2 as the blowing agent. The cell nucleation and growth behaviors of composite foams were studied while varying temperature, pressure, wood fiber content, and clay content. The effects of clay content and exfoliation degree on the final cell morphology of wood fiber/polyolefin/clay nanocomposite foams were identified.

This research presents a fundamental study of the interaction between chemically modified wood fibers and high density polyethylene (HDPE) to develop wood fiber/HDPE composites with satisfactory performance. This paper investigates the effects of the interfacial properties of HDPE and wood fibers on the rheological properties and foaming behavior of the composites. The surface characteristics of wood fiber were modified by treating the fiber with trialkoxy silane. The effectiveness of chemical surface modifications of wood fiber was characterized using FT-IR. The effect of the interfacial interaction on the foaming behavior was studied via extrusion foaming with a physical blowing agent. The rheological property of the composites with a different interfacial structure were also evaluated by using dynamic oscillatory rheometer.

This study compared the mechanical properties of rice hull/high density polyethylene composites with those of maple wood-based counterparts. In addition, the effects of maleated polymers on the mechanical properties of rice hull and maple wood composites were investigated. Six types of maleated polymers (coupling agents) were used to improve mechanical properties, of the composites, especially notched Izod impact strength. The results suggested that the maple wood composites showed higher strength, modulus and impact strength than the rice hull composites. The results also indicated that maleated thermoplastic elastomers increased notched Izod impact strength of both composites dramatically. However, it was found that Maleated metallocene polyethylene was the most effective coupling agent that increased notched impact strength without sacrificing tensile and flexural strength.