Glass fiber/wood flour modified high density polyethylene composites

Composites of high density polyethylene (HDPE) with the reinforcements of glass fiber (GF) and wood flour (WF) have been studied in this work. High‐density polyethylene‐grafted maleic hydride (HDPE‐g‐MAH) was used as a compatibilizer. In particular, the effect of GF, WF, and HDPE‐g‐MAH on the overall properties of GF/WF/HDPE composites (GWPCs in short form) was systematically studied. The results indicate that HDPE‐g‐MAH as a compatibilizer can effectively promote the interfacial adhesion between GF/WF and HDPE. By the incorporations of GF/WF, the heat deflection temperature can reach above 120°C, and the water absorption can be below 0.7%, also the tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength of GWPCs can surpass 55.2 Mpa, 69.4 Mpa, and 11.1 KJ/m², respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Effect of fiber pretreatment condition on the interfacial strength and mechanical properties of wood fiber/PP composites

The effect of fiber surface pretreatment on the interfacial strength and mechanical properties of wood fiber/polypropylene (WF/PP) composites are investigated. The results demonstrate that fiber surface conditions significantly influence the fiber–matrix interfacial bond, which, in turn, determines the mechanical properties of the composites. The WF/PP composite containing fibers pretreated with an acid–silane aqueous solution exhibits the highest tensile properties among the materials studied. This observation is a direct result of the strong interfacial bond caused by the acid/water condition used in the fiber pretreatment. Evidence from coupling chemistry, rheological and electron microscopic studies support the above conclusion. When SEBS‐g‐MA copolymer is used, a synergistic toughening effect between the wood fiber and the copolymer is observed. The V‐notch Charpy impact strength of the WF/PP/SEBS‐g‐MA composite is substantially higher than that of the WF/PP composite. The synergistic toughening mechanisms are discussed with respect to the interfacial bond strength, fiber‐matrix debonding, and matrix plastic deformation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 76: 1000–1010, 2000     

Wood‐thermoplastic composites from wood flour and high‐density polyethylene

High‐density polyethylene/wood flour (HDPE/WF) composites were prepared by a twin‐screw extruder. The effects of WF, silane coupling agents, polymer compatibilizers, and their content on the comprehensive properties of the WF/HDPE composites have been studied in detail, including the mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties and microstructure. The results showed that both silane coupling agents and polymer compatibilizers could improve the interfacial adhesion between WF and HDPE, and further improve the properties of WF/HDPE composites, especially with AX8900 as a compatibilizer giving higher impact strength, and with HDPE‐g‐MAH as a compatibilizer giving the best tensile and flexural properties. The resultant composite has higher strength (tensile strength = 51.03 MPa) and better heat deflection temperature (63.1°C). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Comparative study of maleated polyolefins as compatibilizers for polyethylene/wood flour composites

The effects of various types of compatibilizers on the mechanical properties of high‐density polyethylene/wood flour composites were investigated. Functionalized polyolefins, including maleated polyethylenes, polypropylene, and styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene copolymer, were incorporated to reduce the interfacial tension between the polyethylene matrix and wood filler. Of these, maleated linear low‐density and high‐density polyethylenes gave higher tensile and impact strengths for the composites, presumably because of their better compatibility with the high‐density polyethylene matrix. Similar but less enhanced improvements in the mechanical properties, depending on the compatibilizer loading, were seen for a maleated styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene triblock copolymer, whereas maleated polypropylene only slightly improved the tensile modulus and tensile strength, which increased with increasing compatibilizer loadings. Scanning electron microscopy was used to reveal the interfacial region and confirm these findings. Dynamic mechanical thermal measurements showed the interaction between the filler and the matrix. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to assign the chemical fixation and the various chemical species involved on the surfaces of the fillers before and after surface treatment. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 487–496, 2003     

Compression wood as a source of reinforcing filler for thermoplastic composites

Compression wood (CW) is a reaction wood formed in gymnosperms in response to various growth stresses. Many of the anatomical, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of CW differ distinctly from those of normal wood. Because of different properties, the CW is much less desirable than normal wood. This study was conducted to investigate the suitability of CW flour obtained from black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) in the manufacture of wood plastic composite (WPC). Polypropylene (PP) and CW flour were compounded into pellets by twin‐screw extrusion, and the test specimens were prepared by injection molding. WPCs were manufactured using various weight percentages of CW flour/PP and maleic anhydride‐grafted PP (MAPP). Water absorption (WA), modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) values were measured. The results showed that increasing of the CW percentage in the WPC increased WA, MOR, and MOE values. Using MAPP in the mixture improved water resistance and flexural properties. CW flour of black pine can be used for the manufacturing of WPC as a reinforcing filler. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Use of silanes and copolymers as adhesion promoters in glass fiber/polyethylene composites

Two organofunctional silanes and three functionalized copolymers were used as adhesion promoters in glass fiber/polyethylene‐reinforced composites. The performance of the coupling agents was investigated by mechanical property measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis. Coupling achieved with the poly(ethylene‐g‐maleic anhydride) copolymer proved to be the most successful compared with the other copolymers (ethylene/vinyl alcohol, ethylene/acrylic acid) and silane agents (γ‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy, cationic styryl). The combined coupling performance of the silanes and copolymers examined in this study appears to be controlled by the coupling performance of the copolymer. Effective coupling was reflected in increased mechanical properties. Increased fiber/matrix adhesion is not always associated with effective coupling because structural changes occurring at the interface region can result in a deterioration of the material property. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 80: 2877–2888, 2001     

Isothermal crystallization of high density polyethylene and nanoscale calcium carbonate composites

High density polyethylene (HDPE) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanocomposites with maleic anhydride grafted HDPE (manPE) as a compatibilizer were prepared via compounding in a twin‐screw extruder. The CaCO₃ are well dispersed in the HDPE matrix from the observation of transmission electron microscope. The isothermal crystallization kinetics was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and simulated by Avrami and Tobin models. The nucleation constants and fold surface free energy were estimated from Lauritzen–Hoffman relation. The results indicate that both manPE and well‐dispersed CaCO₃ particles would act as nuclei to induce heterogeneous nucleation and enhance crystallization rate. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Improving adhesion of wood fiber with polystyrene by the chemical treatment of fiber with a coupling agent and the influence on the mechanical properties of composites

—The mechanical properties of polystyrene filled with chemithermomechanical pulp and wood residues of softwood and hardwood species, which were precoated with phthalic anhydride and various polymers, e.g. polystyrene and PVC, have been investigated. The extent of improvement in the mechanical properties of the composite materials depends on the coating composition, the concentration of phthalic anhydride, the nature of the coated polymers, as well as the concentration of fiber, the nature of the wood species, and the nature of the pulps. Experimental results indicate that phthalic anhydride acts as a coupling agent, but when its performance was compared to that of poly[methylene (polyphenyl isocynate)], it seemed inferior to the latter.     

Preparation and properties studies of paraffin/high density polyethylene composites and phase-change coatings

The form-stable paraffin/high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites and phase-change coatings were prepared and characterized in this study. The paraffin acts as thermal absorbing material and HDPE serves as the supporting material, which provides structural strength and prevents the leakage of melted paraffin. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) showed that the paraffin is dispersed uniformly into porous network of HDPE. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) determined the melting temperature and heat storage capacity of the composite piece to be 49.6 °C and 150.88 kJ/kg, respectively. Moreover, results indicated that the composite pieces showed better thermal stability than composite powders after 6 temperature cycling experiments. The phase-change coatings with 40 wt% composites as functional filler showed good adhesion strength and shock resistance, and could decrease the surface temperature obviously comparing with nude Al alloy plates.     

双隔离结构聚乙烯/石墨烯导热复合材料的研究

采用聚二烯丙基二甲基氯化铵改性石墨烯纳米片、聚苯乙烯磺酸钠改性聚乙烯颗粒,通过静电诱导自组装和热压成型工艺制备了具有蜂窝状石墨烯框架的聚乙烯复合材料(N?PE?HD/P?GNPs).利用红外光谱仪、扫描电子显微镜、导热系数测试仪、电子拉力试验机对复合材料的改性状态、微观形貌、导热性能和力学性能等进行分析表征.结果表明,...     

Preparation of highly filled wood flour/recycled high density polyethylene composites by in situ reactive extrusion

Highly filled wood flour/recycled high density polyethylene (WF/RHDPE) composites were directly prepared by in situ reactive extrusion using a twin‐screw/single‐screw extruder system. The effects of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) content on extrusion pressure, rheological behavior, mechanical properties, fractured surface morphology of the composites, and melting temperature of RHDPE in the composites were investigated. The extrusion pressure and torque of WF/RHDPE composite melt increased with DCP content. Mechanical property tests and scanning electron microscopy analysis results confirmed that the interfacial interaction of the composites was improved by in situ reaction. The composites show lower melting peak temperature (T_m) than RHDPE. The cooling in profile extrusion shortened the crystallization time, resulting in decrease of crystalline order of RHDPE in the composites. There are no noticeable changes of T_m values with increasing DCP content. Comparative study on composites with maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene as compatibilizer demonstrated that mechanochemical treatment with DCP and maleic anhydride was an effective method to improve interfacial adhesion for WF/RHDPE composites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

高密度聚乙烯/硅橡胶热塑性硫化胶的制备与性能

采用动态硫化法制备了高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）/硅橡胶（MVQ）热塑性硫化胶（TPV）,考察了HDPE与MVQ的质量比及压片工艺对TPV的硫化特性、力学性能及表面亲疏水性能的影响。结果表明,随着MVQ用量的增加,TPV的动态硫化程度逐渐升高。随着压片时间的延长,TPV的拉伸强度、撕裂强度和扯断伸长率均大幅提高。随着MVQ用量的增加,TPV与水的接触角逐渐增加,相应的表面张力逐渐减小。     

Processability,morphology and mechanical properties of wood flour reinforced high density polyethylene composites

Abstract

Wood flour reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites have been prepared and their rheological properties measured. The melt viscosity decreased as the processing temperature increased and the wood flour content decreased. A power law model was used to describe the pseudoplasticity of these melts. Adding wood flour to HDPE produced an increase in tensile strength and modulus. Composites compounded in a twin screw extruder and treated with a coupling agent (vinyltrimethoxysilane) or a compatibliser (HDPE grafted with maleic anhydride) exhibited better mechanical properties than the corresponding unmodified composites because of improved dispersion and good adhesion between the wood fibre and the polyalkene matrix. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surfaces of these composites showed that both the coupling agent and compatibiliser gave superior interfacial strength between the wood fibre and the polyalkene matrix.     

Resistance of paper mill sludge/wood fiber/high‐density polyethylene composites to water immersion and thermotreatment

The disposal of paper mill sludge (PMS) is a difficult environmental problem. Thus, PMS has been used as a substitute for wood fiber (WF) to reinforce high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). In this study, we compared PMS–WF–HDPE composites with composites without PMS after water immersion and thermal treatment. Water immersion and thermal treatment were conducted at 25 and 70°C, respectively. The results show that the composites with PMS absorbed less water but lost more of their original flexural properties after immersion; thereby, their strength was compromised. These reduced mechanical properties could be partially restored after redrying. After the thermotreatment, the composites with added PMS lost their weight and flexural properties, whereas the composites without PMS gained flexural strength. The results show that the thermotreatment improved the impact strength of the composites when no more than one‐third of WF was replaced with PMS. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray energy‐dispersive spectroscopy showed that the wood index of the PMS composite decreased more than the index of the non‐PMS composite, whereas the carbonyl index increased more. However, the PMS composite showed a lower increase in the total oxygen/carbon weight ratio. This study suggested that limited amounts of WF could be substituted with PMS to reinforce HDPE. However, WF–PMS–HDPE composites should not be used in hot, humid environments for long periods. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41655.     

Esterification effect of maleic anhydride on swelling properties of natural fiber/high density polyethylene composites

The natural fibers (banana, hemp, and sisal) and high density polyethylene were taken for the preparation of natural fiber/polymer composites in different ratios of 40 : 60 and 45 : 55 (w/w). These fibers were esterified with maleic anhydride (MA) and the effect of esterification of MA was studied on swelling properties in terms of absorption of water, at ambient temperature, and steam. It was found that the steam penetrates more within lesserperiod of time than water at ambient temperature. Untreated fiber composites show more absorption of steam and water in comparison to MA‐treated fiber composites. The more absorption of water was found in hemp fiber composites and less in sisal fiber composites. Steam absorption in MA‐treated and untreated fiber composites are higher than the water absorption in respective fiber composites. The natural fiber/polymer composites containing low amount of fibers show less absorption of steam and water at ambient temperature than the composites containing more amount of fibers in respective fiber composites. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Application of ultraviolet photografting technology to acrylamide/polyethylene to improve the interfacial adhesion of polyethylene/unsaturated polyester resin composites

This study was divided into two sections. In the first part, we used ultraviolet (UV) rays in the wavelength range 300–400 nm to remove the hydrogen atom from polyethylene (PE) and worked with a hydrophilic monomer to complete the grafting action. In the second part, we used the best conditions derived from the previous film grafting and applied them to fibers to achieve excellent adhesion for application in composite materials. For the handling process of the PE film, we initially used acrylamide (AM) as the monomer and then added acetone and benzophenone (BP) to form a reactive solution for the advanced photografting process. In general, the optimum concentrations of the monomer solutions obtained from the photografting of PE films were 2 mol/L of AM and 0.2 mol/L of BP. The UV irradiation time was fixed at 30 min. The optimum grafting conditions achieved in the first part of this research were applied in the photografting process for the PE fiber bundles in the second part. The unsaturated polyester (UP) resins were spread over the outer surfaces of the modified fibers. This was done to strengthen and increase the interface between the UP resins and the modified PE fiber. During the curing experiment of the grafted fiber bundles in the resin coatings, the best material quality was obtained under the following conditions: hardener content = 0.85% (relative to the UP resin weight), oven temperature = 80°C, and time frame = 5 h. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

The impact of silane chemistry conditions on the properties of wood plastic composites with low density polyethylene and high wood content

Silane chemistry was implemented on various formulations of wood/thermoplastic polymer composites (WPCs) with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high wood content (60 wt%). Taguchi analysis was used to evaluate the impact of vinyltrimethoxysilane content (VTMS), dicumyl peroxide content (DCP), and processing temperature on the rheological, morphological, and dynamic mechanic properties of WPCs. The torque power was measured by a Haake torque rheometer and indicated that the VTMS content and temperature most significantly impacted the rheological properties related to silane reactions. Differential scanning calorimetry also showed a larger depression in LDPE melting point and crystallinity index when a high VTMS content (35 phr), high DCP content (0.5 phr), and a high compounding temperature (200°C) were used. With dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), it was shown that the compounded formulations had a higher storage modulus over a wide range of temperature whereas the β transition temperature increased with higher content in silane reactants. Interestingly, the high humidity/temperature conditioning step aimed at crosslinking resulted in a drop of dynamic moduli compared to the freshly compounded formulations. This was explained by the fact that during compounding of LDPE with high wood content and silane reactants, significant amounts of matrix and interfacial silane crosslinking already occurred. Subsequent conditioning in a high humidity and temperature environment was proposed to hydrolyze the interfacial siloxane bonds resulting in a degradation of mechanical properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Anisotropy in mechanical and dynamic properties of composites based on carbon fiber filled thermoplastic elastomeric blends of natural rubber and high density polyethylene

The effects of short carbon fibers on static and dynamic properties of thermoplastic elastomeric blends of natural rubber (NR) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) have been studied. Both mechanical and dynamic properties are dependent on fiber concentration. The fiber aspect ratio ranges from 20 to 30. Adhesion between fiber and matrix is evident from the SEM photomicrographs of the failed composites and from variation of relative damping properties. Fiber orientation occurring during processing causes anisotropy in the physical properties. In composites with longitudinally oriented fibers, tensile failure occurs by both fiber pullout and breakage, while in composites with transversely oriented fibers, matrix failure dominates. The incorporation of fibers into the matrix lowers the tan δ_max value, but no change in glass transition temperature is observed.     

Polyamide/polyacrylonitrile thin film composites as forward osmosis membranes

Thin film composites (TFCs) as forward osmosis (FO) membranes for seawater desalination application were prepared. For this purpose, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a moderately hydrophilic polymer was used to fabricate support membranes via nonsolvent‐induced phase inversion. A selective thin polyamide (PA) film was then formed on the top of PAN membranes via interfacial polymerization reaction of m‐phenylenediamine and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). The effects of PAN solution concentration, solvent mixture, and coagulation bath temperature on the morphology, water permeability, and FO performance of the membranes and composites were studied. Support membranes based on low PAN concentrations (7 wt %), NMP as solvent and low coagulation bath temperature (0 °C) demonstrated lower thickness, thinner skin layer, more porosity, and higher water permeability. Meanwhile, decreasing the PAN solution concentration lead to higher water permeance and flux and lower reverse salt flux, structural parameter, and tortuosity for the final TFCs. Composites made in N,N‐dimethylformamide presented lower permeance and flux for water and salt and higher salt rejection, structural parameter, and tortuosity. FO assay of the composites showed lower water permeance values in saline medium comparing to pure water. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 44130.     

高密度聚乙烯/聚烯烃弹性体/三元乙丙橡胶热塑性弹性体的结构与性能

采用动态硫化法制备了高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)/三元乙丙橡胶(EPDM)热塑性弹性体(TPV),并在基体中添加聚烯烃弹性体(POE)以改善其性能.对所制得的TPV的力学性能、微观相结构和动态黏弹行为进行了研究.结果表明,当HDPE/EPDM(质量比)为40/60时,HDPE/EPDM TPV表现出良好的综合性能;用POE...