MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD PLASTIC

COMPOSITE (WPC) MADE OF RECYCLED HIGH

DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE) AND RECYCLED

WOOD FLOUR (RWF)

NANTHA S/O MUNIANDY

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) Made of

Recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Recycled Wood

Flour (RWF)

Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the

Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka for the Degree of

Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering

(Engineering Material)

By

NANTHA S/O MUNIANDY

Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering

April 2008

UTeM Library (Pind.1/2007)

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS TESIS*

JUDUL: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________

SESI PENGAJIAN: _______________________

Saya _____________________________________________________________________ mengaku membenarkan tesis (PSM/Sarjana/Doktor Falsafah) ini disimpan di Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:

1. Tesis adalah hak milik Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka . 2. Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dibenarkan membuat salinan

untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja. 3. Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan tesis ini sebagai bahan pertukaran

antara institusi pengajian tinggi.

4. **Sila tandakan ()

SULIT

TERHAD

TIDAK TERHAD

(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau kepentingan Malaysia yang termaktub di dalam

AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972)

(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan

oleh organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)

(TANDATANGAN PENULIS)

Alamat Tetap:

Tarikh: _______________________

Disahkan oleh:

(TANDATANGAN PENYELIA)

Cop Rasmi:

Tarikh: _______________________

* Tesis dimaksudkan sebagai tesis bagi Ijazah Doktor Falsafah dan Sarjana secara penyelidikan, atau disertasi bagi pengajian secara kerja kursus dan penyelidikan, atau Laporan Projek Sarjana Muda (PSM). ** Jika tesis ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak berkuasa/organisasi berkenaan

dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT atau TERHAD.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD PLASTIC COMPOSITE

(WPC) MADE OF RECYCLED HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

(HDPE) AND RECYCLED WOOD FLOUR (RWF)

NANTHA A/L MUNIANDY

737-D JLN KUALA BENUT, SUNGAI KARANGAN,

09410 PADANG SERAI,

KEDAH DARUL AMAN

2005/2008

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN PEMBUATAN

Rujukan Kami (Our Ref) : 30 April 2008 Rujukan Tuan (Your Ref):

Pustakawan Perpustakawan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka UTeM, Ayer Keroh MELAKA. Saudara, PENGKELASAN TESIS SEBAGAI SULIT/TERHAD - TESIS SARJANA MUDA KEJURUTERAAN PEMBUATAN (BAHAN KEJURUTERAAN): NANTHA A/L MUNIANDY TAJUK: MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD PLASTIC COMPOSITE (WPC) MADE OF RECYCLED HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE) AND RECYCLED WOOD FLOUR (RFW) Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa tesis yang tersebut di atas bertajuk Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) Made of Recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Recycled Wood Flour (RFW) mohon dikelaskan sebagai terhad untuk tempoh lima (5) tahun dari tarikh surat ini memandangkan ia mempunyai nilai dan potensi untuk dikomersialkan di masa hadapan. Sekian dimaklumkan. Terima kasih. BERKHIDMAT UNTUK NEGARA Yang benar, INTAN SHARHIDA BINTI OTHMAN Pensyarah, Fakulti Kejuruteraan Pembuatan 06-2332421

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

Karung Berkunci 1200, Ayer Keroh, 75450 Melaka

Tel : 06-233 2421, Faks : 06 233 2414 Email : fkp@kutkm.edu.my

DECLARATION

I hereby, declared this thesis entitled Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic

Composite (WPC) Made of Recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and

Recycled Wood Flour (RWF) is the results of my own research except as cited in

references.

Signature : .

Authors Name : .

Date : . 1 MAY 2008

NANTHA S/O MUNIANDY

APPROVAL

This Thesis submitted to the senate of UTeM and has been as partial fulfillment of

the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering

(Engineering Material). The members of the supervisory committee are as follow:

(Pn. Intan Sharhida bt Othman)

ABSTRACT

The goal of our research was to value add the waste material, to compare the

mechanical properties and to find the best optimum ratio between the PE and wood

flour. In this study, Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) fabricated using virgin material and

post-consumer high density polyethylene (PE) and wood flour using a twin-screw

extruder and hot compression machine. The tests of composite based on wood flour at

three different ratio filler content, 20%, 30% and 40%, were carried out using universal

tensile machine and impact tester according to ASTM D 3039, ASTM D 790 and ASTM

D 6110 respectively and their result were presented. To improve the interfacial adhesion

between the wood fiber and the HDPE, silane was used in same quantity level as

modifiers to treat wood fiber and the results are presented. The experiment results

showed that tensile and flexural properties of the composite increased with the increase

of the wood flour particles. This result is totally opposite for the impact test. The effects

of different material used and wood fiber length on the mechanical properties of WPC

were investigated and presented. Tensile fracture surfaces of tested WPC samples were

examined by using SEM and the fracture mechanism of WPC was also analyzed in this

research. From the research done we identified that the better tensile strength is

(19.24 MPa) for recycled WPC, flexural strength (50.75 MPa) for non-recycled WPC

and impact energy is (1.45 KJ/m2)

for recycled WPC. As a conclusion regarding the

mechanical properties, it is shown that 30% is the optimal filler content for both type

of WPC. As overall observation the result shows that recycled WPC has better

mechanical properties compared to non-recycled WPC.

ABSTRAK

Matlamat kajian kita adalah megkaji dan menambah nilai bahan buangan serta

mencari formulasi optimum terbaik diantara serbuk kayu dan plastic. Dalam kajian

ini, komposit panel yang berasaskan kayu dihasilkan dengan mengunakkan mesin

penyempritan skru berkembar dan mesin penekan. Ujian panel komposit berasaskan

serbuk kayu ini dilakukan pada tiga komposisi gentian kayu yang berlainan, iaitu

20%, 30% dan 40%, dimana dengan menggunakan mesin penguji tegangan dan

mesin penguji kesan daya menurut piawaian ASTM D 3039, ASTM D 790 dan

ASTM D 6110. Keputusan ujian ini turut dibincangkan dalam kajian ini. Untuk

mengukuhkan pelekatan antara gentian kayu and plastik (HDPE), silane telah

digunakan dalam kuantiti yang sama untuk semua komposisi bagi merawat serbuk

kayu dan keputusannya juga dibincangkan. Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa

ciri-ciri kekuatan lenturan dan tegangan selari meningkat apabila partikel serbuk

kayu meningkat. Keputusan ini adalah terbalik bagi ujian hentaman. Kesan

pengunaan bahan dan gentian kayu yang panjangnya berlainan dalam ciri-ciri

mekanikal, komposit panel kayu dikaji dan dibincang dalam kajian ini. Permukaan

bahagian patah pada sampel ujian lenturan dikaji dengan menggunakan mikroskop

elektron pengskanan dan mekanisma retak turut dibincangkan dalam kajian ini. Hasil

daripada kajian ini, kita dapat tahu bahawa kekuatan tegangan yang baik adalah

19.24 MPa untuk komposit panel kayu yang dikitar semula, kekuatan lenturan yang

baik adalah 50.75 MPa untuk komposit panel kayu semula jadi dan Kekuatan

hentaman yang baik adalah 1.45 KJ/m2 untuk komposit panel yang dikitar semula.

Kesimpulan daripada ciri-ciri mekanikal, nilai optimum gentian untuk serbuk kayu

adalah sebanyak 30%. Secara pemerhatian keseluruhan hasil kajian ini menunjukkan

sampel yang menggunakan bahan kitar semula mempunyai ciri-ciri mekanikal yang

baik apabila dibandingkan dengan bahan asli.

DEDICATION

For my beloved mother and father also to my family who always give me support

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

By the Grace of God, finally I have completed my thesis based on the knowledge and

experience that I got during my entire project. Here I would like to take this

opportunity to thank the people for their utmost help and guidance given to me. I

sincerely appreciate the following people for their utmost cooperation to me during

my project flow.

Dean, Head of Department, Lecturers and Technician of Manufacturing

Engineering Faculty who had always given me their undivided guidance and

corrected my mistakes during doing my PSM.

I extend my appreciation to the respective Pn. Intan Sharhida bt Othman, my

project supervisor who has shared her knowledge and experience as well as

give me information and also given me full support and guidance in order to

build my confidence and ability while doing my project.

My panel lecturers who will conduct the secondary evaluation for my PSM

Last but not least, my Colleagues who were always keep in touch and guide

me during the project.

This project is dedicated to everyone who was involved while I am doing the project

because without his or her help and support, I would not have been able to create this

project successfully.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Declaration...

Approval...

Abstract

Abstrak

Dedication

Acknowledgement...

Table of Content...

List of Figures..

List of Tables...

List Of Abbreviations, Symbols, Specialized Nomenclature..

i

ii

iii

iv

v

vi

vii

viii

ix

iix

1. INTRODUCTION..

1.1 Problem background...

1.2 Problem statement...

1.3 Objective

1.4 Scope of the project.....

1.5 Study Benefit ..

1

1

2

3

4

4

2. LITERATURE REVIEW.........

2.1 Wood Plastic Composite.....................................

2.1.1 Wood Plastic Composite Feedstocks

2.1.1.1 Wood.

2.1.1.2 Plastic.

2.1.1.3 Compounded Pallets...

2.1.1.4 Additives...

2.1.2 Manufacture of Wood Plastic Composite.....

5

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8

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12

2.1.2.1 Compounding.

2.1.2.2 Extrusion........

2.1.3 Material Preparation

2.1.3.1 Cleanliness of Plastic..

2.1.3.2 Physical Form of the Plastic

2.1.3.3 Cleanliness of the Wood.

2.1.3.4 Physical Form of the Wood

2.1.3.5 Particle Size of Wood Flour

2.1.3.6 Moisture Content of the Wood

2.1.3.7 Species of the Wood...

2.1.4 Properties of Wood Plastic Product..

2.2 Recycling Wood Plastic Composite...............................

2.2.1 Introduction...

2.2.1.1 Use of Recycled Material in WPCs..

2.2.1.2 Wood Based Material.

2.2.1.3 Recycled Plastic in WPCs.

2.2.1.4 Potential for use of other recycled sources.............................................

2.2.1.5 Raw Material Effects..

2.2.1.6 Processing Effects..

2.2.1.7 Environmental Effects

2.2.2 Recycled Plastic Feedstocks for Composites

2.2.2.1 Number 1 (PET or PETE)...

2.2.2.2 Number 2 (HDPE)..

2.2.2.3 Number 3 (PVC).

2.2.2.4 Number 4 (LDPE)...

2.2.2.5 Number 5 (PP)

2.2.2.6 Number 6 (PS)

2.2.2.7 Number 7 (Other)

2.2.3 Recycled Wood Feedstocks for Composites.

2.2.3.1 Primary Wood Wastes

2.2.3.2 Secondary Wood Wastes

2.2.3.3 Post-Consumer Wood Wastes.

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2.2.3.4 Urban Forest Residues

2.3 Composite...........................................................................

2.3.1 Polymer Matrix Composite..........................

2.3.2 Constituents of Fiber Reinforcement Composite. ...

2.3.2.1 Fiber

2.3.2.2 Matrix.

2.3.3 Manufacturing Techniques...

2.4 Previous Research on Wood Plastic Composite.

2.4.1 Some of the properties of wood plastic composites..

2.4.2 Polypropylene/wood flour composites: treatment and properties.

2.4.3 Properties of wood plastic composites made of recycled HDPE and wood

flour from CCA-treated wood removed from service...

2.4.4 Wood flour filled PP composite: Compatibilization and adhesion...

3. METHODOLOGY.....

3.1 Introduction.....

3.1.1 Flow Chart.

3.2 Sample Preparation.....

3.2.1 Thermoplastic Polymer (HDPE)...

3.2.2 Wood Flour...

3.2.3 Mould Fabrication.

3.2.4 Compounding Process...

3.2.5 Crushing Bulk Material.

3.2.6 Hot Press...

3.3 Test Procedure for Evaluating Wood Plastic Composite

3.3.1 Introduction...

3.3.2 Tensile Testing..

3.3.2.1 Testing Scope..

3.3.2.2 Summary of Test Method...

3.3.2.3 Tensile Testing Procedure...

3.3.3 Flexural Testing

3.3.3.1 Testing Scope..

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3.3.3.2 Summary of Test Method...

3.3.3.3 Flexural Testing Procedure.

3.3.4 Impact Testing..

3.3.4.1 Testing Scope.

3.3.4.2 Summary of Test Method..

3.3.4.3 Impact Testing Procedure...

3.4 Microstructure Observation

3.4.1 Procedure to use the SEM

3.5 Conclusion..

4. RESULT AND DISCUSSION..

4.1 Data Analysis..

4.1.1 Mechanical Testing...

4.1.1.1 Tensile Testing

4.1.1.2 Flexural Testing..

4.1.1.3 Impact Testing....................................................................................

4.1.2 Mechanical Properties of the WPC .

4.1.3 Comparison between Recycle and Non-Recycled WPC samples testing

Outcome

4.2 Morphology Analysis.

4.2.1 SEM Examination on Tensile Fracture Surface

4.2.2 Relationship between SEM photo and Mechanical Properties.

4.2.3 SEM Examination on Wood Flour Particle Structure..

4.3 Challenges on processing methods.

4.4 Characteristics Influence the WPCs properties..

4.4.1 Influence of Aspect Ratio.

4.4.2 Influence of Particle Size.. ..

4.4.3 Dispersion of the Fiber.

4.4.4 Influence of Fiber Orientation..

4.4.5 Influence of Coupling Agents...

4.4.6 Influence of Matrix...

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5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

5.1 Conclusion..

5.2 Recommendation

5.2.1 Research

5.2.2 Commercialization

REFERENCE.

APPENDIX.

A Gantt chart for PSM 1& 2.

B Formulas & Calculation....

C Testing Results..

D Tensile Testing Graph...

104

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107

LIST OF FIGURES

2.1 Clockwise from top left: virgin polyethylene pellets, wood flour,

and wood plastic composite pellets

6

2.2 Schematic layout of Conex wood extruder 16

2.3 Woodtruder extrusion system showing material feeding

systems, extruders and cooling tank

17

2.4 Pultrusion die design for wood plastic composites 18

2.5 Effect of plastic type (polyethylene o, polypropylene ,

polystyrene ) and wood loading levels on properties of wood

plastic composites

26

2.6 Effect of plastic type on critcal properties in polypropylene,

polyethylene, and general purpose polystryrene with different

wood loading levels

37

2.7 Typical Composite 42

2.8 Illustrating the combined effect on Modulus of the addition of

Fibres to a resin matrix

44

3.1 WPCs Manufacturing Process Flow Chart 55

3.2 Virgin Polyethylene (HDPE) Materials 57

3.3 Post consumer milk bottles 57

3.4 Virgin Wood Flour 58

3.5 Recycle Wood Flour 58

3.6 Rectangular Mild Steel Plate Mold 59

3.7 Co-Rotating Twin screw Extruder (Polylab Extruder OS, HAAKE

Rheomix OS)

61

3.8 General setting on HAAKE PolySoft OS monitor 62

3.9 Bulk Shape of WPC 63

3.10 Blend Material after Crushing (Pallet Form) 63

3.11 Hydraulic Molding Test Press (Hot Press: GT 7014-A) 64

3.12 Dimension of Tensile Specimen 67

3.13 General Tensile test setup 68

3.14 Flexural Test Sample Dimension 70

3.15 General flexural test setup 71

3.16 Charpy V-notch specimen 73

3.17 General Charpy V-notch test setup 74

3.18 Scanning Electron Microscope (Model EVO 50) 75

4.1 Tensile Strength for Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC 78

4.2 Tensile Modulus for Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC 79

4.3 Flexural Strength for Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC 81

4.4 Flexural Modulus for Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC 82

4.5 Impact Energy (KJ/m2) of the Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC 84

4.6 Fracture surface of Tensile specimen for 20% filler in Recycle WPC

along force direction by SEM with magnification of 500 X.

90

4.7 Fracture surface of Tensile specimen for 20% filler in Non-Recycled

WPC along force direction by SEM with magnification of 500 X.

90

4.8 Fracture surface of Tensile specimen for 30% filler in Recycled

WPC along force direction by SEM with magnification of 500 X

91

4.9 Fracture surface of Tensile specimen for 30% filler in Non-Recycled

WPC along force direction by SEM with magnification of 500 X

91

4.10 Fracture surface of Tensile specimen for 40% filler in Recycled

WPC along force direction by SEM with magnification of 500 X

92

4.11 Fracture surface of tensile specimen for 40% filler in Non-Recycled

WPC along force direction by SEM with magnification of 500 X

92

4.12 Fracture surface of Tensile specimens microstructure for Recycled

WPC at maximum stress

93

4.13 Fracture surface of Tensile specimens microstructure for Non-

Recycled WPC at maximum stress

94

4.14 SEM micrograph showing the Recycle Wood fiber used in the study. 96

4.15 SEM micrograph showing the Non-Recycled Wood fiber used in the

study

96

LIST OF TABLES

2.1 Dimensions and Chemical Composition of some Common

Agro-Fibers

9

2.2 Effect of Pine Wood Flour Particle Size on Performance of Wood-

filled

Polypropylene Composite

22

2.3 Effects of Wood Species on Performance of Wood-filled

Polypropylene Composites

24

2.4 Post Consumer Plastics 38

3.1 Ratio of the raw material and additive agent used for panel

manufacture

60

3.2 Standard Dimension for Rigid and Semirigid Plastics, ASTM D638.

(Tensile Specimen)

67

4.1 Tensile Strength of the Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC (MPa) 77

4.2 Tensile Modulus of the Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC (GPa) 79

4.3 Flexural strength of the Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC (MPa) 81

4.4 Flexural Modulus of the Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC (GPa) 82

4.5 Impact Energy of the Recycled and Non-Recycled WPC (KJ/m2) 83

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, SYMBOLS, SPECIALIZED

NOMENCLATURE

WF - Wood Flour

HDPE - High Density Polyethylene

RWF - Recycled Wood Flour

WPC - Wood Plastic Composite

PMC - Plastic Matrix Composite

PP - Polypropylene

PVC - Polyvinylchloride

PS - Polystyrene

LDPE - Low Density Polyethylene

PET - Polyethylene teraphthalate

GPS - General Purpose Polystyrene

HIPS - High Impact Polystyrene

MAH - Maleic anhydride

SSE - Single Screw Extruder

CTSE - Co-Rotating Twin Screw Extruder

CRTSE - Counter Rotating Twin Screw Extruder

MSW - Municipal Solid Waste

SPI - Society for the Plastic Industry

SEM - Scanning Electron Microscope

UTM - Universal Testing Machine

MOR - Modulus of Rupture

MOE - Modulus of Elasticity

RPM - Rotational per Minute

1CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Project Background

In todays modern age, there has been a large leap in development of mankind from the

beginning of this race. Due to this rapid improvement, the needs of human increases

from day to day in order to improve the quality of life. Regarding to this, many product

or equipment have been invented to make human life more comfortable and easy. As

time passes, all of this equipment wears of due to constant usage or improvement on the

product itself causing all of them to be thrown as a waste.

Usually people will ignore the left over or wastage material, for example plastic chairs

and wooden table. These things will end up in the dumping site without knowing the real

usage or benefits behind them. Besides wastage, this material can cause serious

environmental effect since some of the materials produced are non-biodegradedable.

Materials such as this will not decomposed even after few years. It is a waste not to

recycle these materials since recycling can help to lower the cost of production to so that

it can be utilized by every walk of life poor nor rich and in the same time protect the

environment.

Realizing its potential, this project will focuses on developing a wood plastic composite

(WPCs) from recycled plastic and recycled wood flour. At the same time, this project

will also focus on the comparison between the second generation material (recycled

2material) and first generation material (non-recycle or virgin material). From the

development of this new composite, analysis as well as further research will also be

done to determine whether this material can be recycled again.

In our research, we will use both virgin and post consumer materials. The High Density

Polyethylene (HDPE) functions as the polymer matrix and wood flour as the filler. The

recycled HDPE is obtained from crushed milk bottle and the wood flour gets from post

consumer wood products. In order to do a through research, a few testing will be done

on the panel itself such as Tensile testing, Flexural testing and Impact testing in order to

observe its mechanical properties. From the series of testing the behavior of wood

plastic composite (WPCs) will be observe such as tensile strength, yield point and

Modulus of Elasticity (MOE). This data will help to determine the capability of the

material as well as identify the best formulation in order to commercialize the recycled

products.

1.2 Problem Statements

Currently the amount of garbage or waste is increasing day after day as the worlds

population increases. If we see closely, most of the wastes are from the things that we

used daily such as plastic and paper. Due to the increasing number of mankind in the

world, more products have to be manufactured to cater the needs of every human being.

These cause natural resources such as wood and petroleum to deplete fast.

Realizing this, recycling is introduced as a way to curb the problems that arise. By

recycling natural resources can be preserved for future use and in the same time protect

the environment such as forest that gives oxygen for human to life. Recycling also

reduces amount of waste produce and can help to encounter garbage accumulation

problem. Recycling also reduces cost since manufacturing product from raw material to

finished product is getting expensive as time passes.

3To overcome this problem, this study is done in order to develop composite from

recycled material such as wood flour and plastic. So from this combination of wood

flour and plastic, it is known as Wood Plastic Composite (WPC). By doing this research,

a deeper study on the properties of WPCs can be done in order to develop and improve

the usage of this composite in the future.

1.3 Objectives

(a) To find the best formulation of recycled HDPE and WF in order to produce

high strength WPC.

(b) To compare the mechanical properties of composites made from non-

recycled and recycled waste woods and plastics.

(c) To convert recycled wood fiber and recycled plastic into durable product that

is recyclable on.

41.4 Scope of Project

(a) Characterization of non-recycled and recycled wood flour and HDPE.

(b) Grinding and sieving of the recycled wood flour and HDPE in order to get

the desired sizes

(c) To find the best formulation of non-recycled and recycled WF and HDPE in

order to get high strength WPC.

(d) Fabrication of WPC involving certain process such as compounding, hot etc.

(e) To study the influence of blending formulation to mechanical properties and

microstructure of the composite.

1.5 Study Benefit

This research provides vast knowledge and information to all future researchers around

the world. Some of the benefits can be acquired through this research are:-

(a) From the experiment and testing done, the result can provide information

which answers all or some doubt regarding to the newly developed recycled

composite especially in terms of its properties.

(b) By this research, new acquired information can encourage more researchers

to keep on going improving the composite produce as well as develop other

new form of composite from recycled materials.

(c) This research also acts as a guide line for future researchers to do test as well

as develop new composites and testing equipment to aid the study and R&D

that will be done in the future.

Hopefully from the benefits listed above, more new minds can be develop in furthering

the research that have been done as well as used this research in achieving new

breakthrough that can aid human kind in the future to have an even better quality of life.

5CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Wood Plastic Composite

Wood Plastic composites (WPCs), variously known as wood fiber-plastic composites

and green composites are a new group of materials that are generating interest in many

applications. WPCs are defined as composite materials that contain wood (in various

forms) and thermoplastic polymer and do not include wood flour-thermoset plastics like

bakelite and particleboard products such as medium density fiberboard (Andrea

Wechsler, 2006). WPC products use a range of polymers such as polyethylene (PE),

polypropylene (PP) or polyvinylchloride (PVC) in various proportions along with wood

or other natural fibers to produce profiles or molded objects with the structural integrity

and workability of wood and the durability of polymers (Figure 2.1). While wood flour

or waste wood is mainly used as a cost-cutting alternative to mineral fillers like talc and

calcium carbonate, plant fibers like flax, hemp and kenaf are currently being evaluated

as environmentally friendly and low-cost alternatives for glass or carbon fibers in

engineering composites.

1.pdf1.pdfNantha Thesis

2Gant Chart

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