COMPOSITES OF SURFACE-TREATED WOOD FIBER AND RECYCLED POLYPROPYLENE

The effect of surface treatment of saw dust on the physico-mechanical properties of saw dust-filled polypropylene composites was studied. Whereas the elastomer-pretreated saw dust decreases the strength of composites, in-situ addition of interface modifiers, such as maleated polypropylene, m-phenylene bismaleimide(a)-modified polypropylene, during kneading of polypropylene with untreated or elastomer-pretreated saw dust improved the mechanical properties with a marginal sacrifice of impact strength. The chemical nature of interphase modifiers played an important role on the mechanical properties of the composites, e.g., maleated polypropylene was most effective among the modifiers used in this study. Halogenated elastomers and phenolic modified polypropylene improved the flame resistant properties of the composites. Moreover, properties varied with the particle size of wood fiber. The morphological study of the fracture surfaces of composites revealed that interfacial adhesion is improved by adding maleated polypropylene.