Abstract
The effects of five different chemical treatments of Pin us Radiata fibres, produced by different pulping methods, on interfacial bonding between fibres and polyethylene and polypropylene have been investigated for composites produced by melt blending of fibre and polymer. The effects of adding a proprietary compatibiliser and a maleated polypropylene wax to the blend were also studied. The chemical treatments failed to give any improvement in tensile properties. Untreated fibres on their own and untreated fibres with addition of maleated polypropylene wax gave significant improvement in both tensile strength and stiffness. The lignin content on the surface of the fibres appeared to influence the degree of interfacial bonding in that fibres with low lignin surface content gave better results than fibres with high lignin on the surface.
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