Wood-plastic profile

Synthetic wood or wood-plastic composites (WPC) made from rigid PVC heavily filled with wood flour, extruded in wood-like profiles that can be sawn, nailed and screwed just like natural wood. .. 

M. A. Svoboda. Property profiles and structure-property relationships of polypropylene-wood composites with high wood content. In Wood-Plastic Composites, A Sustainable Future. The International Conference, Vienna, Austria, May 14-16, 2002. 

This chapter explains the meaning of the above statements. It describes flammability and smoke/toxic gases evolntion at burning of wood compared to wood-plastic composite (WPC) materials and products of different compositions and profiles. It also explains flammability and fire ratings and indexes as quantitative measures for fire hazard and fire safety, and fire performance characteristics in general of wood and composites. 

Processing wood plastic composites (WPG) into profiles by extrusion for building and construction applications is one of the most exciting bnsinesses of recent years. Growth observed is such that WPG applications are already very high (at least 30% a year in... 

Finally, for practical reasons it is useful to classify polymeric materials according to where and how they are employed. A common subdivision is that into structural polymers and functional polymers. Structural polymers are characterized by - and are used because of - their good mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. Hence, they are primarily used as construction materials in addition to or in place of metals, ceramics, or wood in applications like plastics, fibers, films, elastomers, foams, paints, and adhesives. Functional polymers, in contrast, have completely different property profiles, for example, special electrical, optical, or biological properties. They can assume specific chemical or physical functions in devices for microelectronic, biomedical applications, analytics, synthesis, cosmetics, or hygiene. 

Westlane Plastics (USA) [45] uses an extrusion method to produce rods of up to 31.75 mm diameter, stri K, pipes with 9.52-12.7 mm wall thickness and other profile artides from compositions based on phenol, melamine, carbamide, and alkyd resins. Fillers used incluse wood crush, cellulose, chalk, talc, clay, mica, silica, coke, graphite, and carbon fibers. 

M. Bengtsson, N.M. Stark, and K. Oksman. Crosslinked wood-thermoplastic composites—profile extrusion and properties. In Progress in Wood Fibre Plastic Composites 2006 International Conference, Toronto, Canada, May 1-2, 2006. 

Hive components profiled included unpainted wood, painted wood, machined plastic parts, vinyl-coated screen wire, and completely instrumented condo units [14]. The effect of aging on the loss of volatile and semi-volatile components from hive boxes was assessed by comparing unpainted wood from 1995 and 1996 lumber inventories. We also compared a condo used during the 1995 field season to a newly completed 1996 model. 

About 50% of AERT s production is sold into the window and door industry. The material is called MoistureShield and is similar to Choice Dek in composition. Crane Plastics also markets its TimberTech product to window and door manufacturers. Profiles made by modified technology of Strandex Corporation with high wood content (typically 70%) composite to tolerances of +0.001 in. can go directly to vinyl cladding operations, and can be used with other precision components such as extruded aluminum profiles. The Strandex product can also be stained or painted. 

Different forms/profiles of plastic/wood are used. Extruded profiles can contain at least 70 wt%, some up to 90%, wood content and produce wood-like appearance. Proper drying of the wood is required since it is hygroscopic otherwise burning can occur and properties are reduced. These products compete in different markets particularly the building and construction market and where water is located like a boating dock. It is entering the 8 billion USA residential siding market that is now at least half vinyl. 

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