Effect of Nano Clay and Compatibilizer Material on the Long Term Water Absorption, Moisture Diffusion Coefficient and Morphology of Wood Plastic Composite

This study aimed at investigating the effect of Nano clay and compatibilizer of maleic anhydride polypropylene on the long term water absorption, moisture diffusion coefficient and morphology of wood plastic composite. For this purpose, wood flour with 50% ratio was mixed with polypropylene and Nano clay particles with 0, 2 and 4% ratio by dry weight of wood flour and compatibilizer material with 0 and 3% ratio by weight of plastic were used. Mixing process of materials into the extruding machine was done and test samples were fabricated through injection molding technique. Fourier Transfer Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to study the effect of anhydrate compatibilizer. Then, long term water absorption of Nano wood plastic composite for 1560 hours was done. Also moisture diffusion coefficient was calculated to determine the speed of water absorption in Nano wood plastic composite. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy was utilized to study morphology of Nano composites. The result showed that by increasing Nano clay and compatibilizer material, water absorption and moisture diffusion coefficient in wood plastic Nano composite were decreased. The obtained results of Infrared spectroscopy showed that on the effect of increase the anhydrate compatibilizer, amount of absorption of hydroxyl groups (OH) were decreased. Determining the type of crystallographic structure of Nano composites by using the XRD showed that the fabricated structure in Nano composite was intercalation and with increasing Nano clay and compatibilizer material, the distance between the silicate layers of clay were increased. The results of scanning electron microscopy also showed that the improvement in interface between wood and plastic was in effect of increasing the anhydride compatibilizer.