Flammability of wood-polypropylene composites

Addition of wood particles to polymers can cause a change of properties of the composites which depends on features of lignocellulosic materials and those of polymers. It is also observed in the flammability characteristics of the composites. In this work, the flammability of polypropylene composites with pine wood particles obtained by extrusion and press moulding was analyzed. The amount of wood particles was 50%. Polymers with various melt flow index (MFI) were used (Malen F-401, PP HY-202 and Malen S-702). The samples were tested using Cone Calorimeter at heat flux of 35 kW/m(2). Heat release rate (HRR) curves of composites show that thermal decomposition depends on the kind of polypropylene used. In the presence of PP HY-202 and Malen S-702, the flammability characteristic is similar to that of lignocellulosic materials, in contrast to composites with matrices prepared from Malen F-401. The observed phenomenon is interpreted in terms of the wettability, of particles of pine wood by polymers of varying melt viscosity. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.