Wood-Plastic Composites Coupling Agents

COMPOSITION OF WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES COUPLING AGENTS 

Wood-Plastic Composites, by Anatole A. Klyosov Copyright 2007 John Wiley Sons, Inc. 

The principal function of coupling agents is to improve adhesion between cellulose fiber and plastic, and, therefore, to disperse the fiber in the resin as uniformly as possible, preferably by forming covalent bonds between fiber and plastic. 

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In addition, ABS that has been recovered can be recycled into high value composites without separation from impurities. This has been exemplified with wood-plastic composites that contain ABS as matrix polymer. Both virgin ABS and recycled ABS were used and the properties of the materials were compared (126). In order to increase the performance, coupling agents were used, all based on grafted maleic anhydride. 

S.-K. Yeh, A. Al-Mulla, and R.K. Gupta. Influence of the coupling agent of polypro-pylene/clay nanocomposite-based wood-plastic composites. ANTEC, Society of Plastic Engineers, Brookfield, CT, 2005, pp. 1290-1294. 

EFFECT OF COUPLING AGENTS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES EXPERIMENTAL DATA... 

B. Sigworth. Additives for wood-filled polyolefins. Coupling agents. In Progress in Woodfibre-Plastic Composites Conference 2002, Toronto, Canada, May 23-24, 2002. 

M.G. Botros. Development of new generation coupling agents for wood-plastic composites. In The Global Outlook for Natural Fiber Wood Composites 2003, New Orleans, December 3-5, 2003. 

C. Burgstaller and W. Stadlbauer. Investigation of the effects of coupling agents in wood plastic composites. In Progress in Wood Fibre Plastic Composites 2006 International Conference, Toronto, Canada, May 1-2, 2006. 

LINEAR COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION-CONTRACTION FOR WOOD-PLASTIC COMPOSITES. EFFECT OF FILLERS AND COUPLING AGENTS... 

Clariant introduces licocene coupling agent for wood-plastic composites. Addit Polym [trade journal—Elsevier] March 2007. 

Thus, the role of a coupling agent, by improving compatibility and adhesion in wood plastic composites, become very significant. The following mechanisms in modified WPC specimens with coupling agents can be observed ... 

A widely used matrix materiai for wood plastic composites (WPC) is polypropylene (PP). However, the hydrophilic nature of wood lowers the compatibility with the hydrophobic polymer, leading to WPCs with poor dispersions. Therefore, substantial research has been carried out on the surface modification of wood with coupling agents to improve strength properties. Maleated polypropylene has proved to be one of the most suitable materials for improving the interfacial adhesion between wood particles or fibers and polypropylene and hence the mechanical properties of the composite [9]. 

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