Comparison of Hot Gas and Hot Plate Welding of Wood–Plastic Composites

Abstract

The study concerns the welding of wood-plastic composites and the impact of their properties on weldability. The welding has been performed with two different methods: hot gas and hot plate welding. The connectivity of wood-plastic composites using different materials and two different welding methods are examined. The welding has been tested with four materials that differ slightly from each other. The different composition of materials provides information about how different materials affect the joining in the composite. The materials were made with wood flour, polypropylene, wollastonite, maleated polypropylene and lubricants with different mixtures. The weld seams have been observed by three different methods: tensile test, Brinell hardness and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that both welding methods are workable, and with both methods the samples were joined. Hot plate welding gave more significant strength values than hot gas welding, however. Both methods are useful, but a more detailed study to optimize the connection methods should be done.