The effect of chemical treatment of wood flour on some of properties of wood plastic composite

This research aimed to investigate the effect of chemical treatment of wood flour on some of physical, mechanical and morphological properties of wood plastic composite. Chemical treatment of wood flour at 7 levels without treatment, acetylation, benzoylation, mercerization, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and warm water treatment were considered as variable factors. For evaluate reaction of wood flour with chemical materials, weight percent gain (WPG) were calculated. After chemical treatment, Wood flour and polypropylene with weight ratio of 60 to 40 and 4 per hundred compound (phc) of coupling agent mixed in the extruder device and then the specimens were fabricated by injection molding method. Then mechanical tests Included tensile, flexural and impact strength and physical examination, including water absorption and thickness swelling was performed on specimens according to (ASTM) standard. Also to study the morphology of the composites, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used. The results showed that by chemical treatment the mechanical strength increased and physical properties such as water absorption and thickness swelling decreased. Also the highest chemical treatments of wood flour was related to the banzylation treatment. As well as obtained results of scanning electron microscopy was indicate improve in cross linking between fibers and polymeric matrix on effect of chemical treatment, so that in treatment samples exiting of fibers into the matrix not observed.