Physical properties of simul (red-silk cotton) wood (Bombax ceiba L.) chemically modified with styrene acrylonitrile co-polymer and nanoclay

Abstract

Abstract Wood plastic composites have been prepared based on simul wood (Bombax ceiba L.), which was vacuum impregnated with the styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) co-polymer nanoclay (nnc) intercalating system in the presence of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), a crosslinking agent. The impact of nanoclay was investigated on the mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical behavior, and the biodegradability of the resultant wood polymer nanocomposite (WPCnnc) was investigated. The tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of the composite were relatively higher in the presence of 2 phr nanoclay. The limiting oxygen index values showed self-extinguishing behavior of the WPCnnc. Furthermore, the storage moduli (E′) and damping index (tan δ) of these products were high. WPCSAN/GMA/nnc exhibit higher biodegradability compared to WPCSAN/GMA.