Fabrication and characterization of biodegradable poly(propylene carbonate)/wood flour composites

Wood flour reinforced poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) composites were prepared by melt blending followed by compression molding. The effects of reinforcement on the morphology, static and dynamic mechanical properties, and thermal properties of PPC/wood flour composites were investigated. In terms of mechanical properties, wood flour had the significant effect of improving tensile strength and stiffness. Scanning electron microscopic examination revealed good dispersion of wood flour (especially at lower content) in the PPC matrix. Moreover, experimental results indicated that the wood flour addition led to an obvious improvement in the thermal stability of the composites. This paper demonstrates that the incorporation of low-cost and biodegradable wood flour into PPC provides a practical way to produce completely biodegradable and cost-competitive composites with good mechanical properties. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.