Property Improvements of Wood and Wood-Plastic Composites

Abstract

Several factors such as type of wood species e.g. soft wood, hard wood, wood flour (WF) particle size, particle shape, particle aspect ratio, type of polymer matrices, dispersion of wood flour in polymer matrix as well as interfacial interaction i.e. interfacial adhesion between wood flour particle and polymer matrix affect the properties of Wood plastic-composite (WPC). Among the above factors, the most significant and important factor is the interfacial adhesion between WF and polymer matrix that affects the properties of WPC materials largely. WPC material obtained by normal blending of wood flour and polymer matrix, due to their incompatibility, does not exhibit improved properties. The poor adhesion or incompatibilization at the interface between WF and polymer matrix decreases the mechanical properties of WPC materials that limits the use of WF as filler in polymer matrices. Hence, compatibilization between wood flour and polymer matrices is the main focus of this chapter. By reading this chapter reader will learn the chemistry and mechanism of compatibility of different compatibilizing systems (such as coupling agents as well as silane treatments, acetylation and benzylation of wood flour, etc.) and their effect on the properties of WPC materials. After reading this chapter reader will also know the effect of thermal treatment of wood flour, effect of nanofillers addition as well as wet pulverization of WF on the properties of WPC materials.