Mechanical Properties and Decay Resistance of Wood Polymer Composites (WPC)

Abstract

In Malaysia, especially Borneo Island Sarawak has a large scale of tropical wood species. In this study, selected raw tropical wood species namely Artocarpus Elasticus, Artocarpus Rigidus, Xylopia Spp, Koompassia Malaccensis and Eugenia Spp were chemically treated with sodium meta periodate to convert them into wood polymer composites. Manufactured wood polymer composites were characterized using mechanical testing (modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), static Young’s modulus) and decay resistance test. Modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture were calculated using three point bending test. Static Young’s modulus and decay resistance were calculated using compression parallel to gain test and natural laboratory decay test respectively. The manufactured wood polymer composites yielded higher modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and static Young’s modulus. Wood polymer composite had high resistant to decay exposure, while Eugenia Spp wood polymer composite had highly resistant compared to the other ones.