Using furniture factory waste sawdust in wood-plastic composite production and prototype sample production

Abstract

This study investigated the possibility of furniture factory waste sawdust (FFWS) utilization in polypropylene (PP) composites and producing furniture support leg prototypes. Test samples were manufactured using a single screw extruder and injection molding machine utilizing 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35% by weight of FFWS and 0% or 3% maleated polypropylene (MAPP). Selected mechanical and physical properties of manufactured samples were determined. The presence of FFWS and MAPP significantly improved mechanical properties compared to neat PP. The higher FFWS amount increased the flexural strength, flexural modulus, tensile modulus, impact resistance, and density. Tensile strength and elongation at break decreased with filler amount, but the addition of MAPP caused a dramatic increase in tensile strength. In addition, flexural strength, flexural modulus, tensile strength, elasticity modulus, and density values of the composites containing MAPP had higher values than the ones without MAPP. However, impact resistance and elongation at break values were slightly decreased with the addition of MAPP. Optimization results showed that formulation mixtures containing 20% filler and 3% MAPP fit best for prototype furniture legs manufacturing.